National issues an irritant for confident BJP

The BJP is viewing the by-election to be held in Kerala’s Chengannur Assembly constituency on May 28 as a golden opportunity for laying the foundation for its goal of capturing power in the State but several issues that the party is facing in the national level ranging from Kathua rape-murder to the petro-price rise are troubling its campaigners. Still, the party believes that it can beat the adversities through systematic campaigning.

The State BJP leadership was almost certain of victory in the by-election, necessitated by the death of CPI(M)’s sitting member KK Ramachandran Nair on January 14, when it had launched its campaigning in the constituency many weeks ago by being the first party to finalize its candidate, former State party chief PS Sreedharan Pillai.

With the close connections he has been keeping with the Chengannur electorate for the past several years, Pillai is seen as a formidable candidate even by the enemies especially as he had surprised both the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-headed UDF by polling 42,682 votes in the same seat in the 2016 election as against the party’s negligible score of 6,062 votes in 2011.

Despite the challenges the party has been facing due to the scathing criticisms from its opponents over demonetisation and the alleged problems in the implementation of GST, apart from the routine attacks over the so-called ‘communal politics, the party and its Sangh Pariwar associates had been able to carry out a confident campaign so far.

However, the situation has changed drastically for the BJP following the eruption of the Kathua gangrape-murder and Unnao rape scandals, which are issues that can have serious repercussions in a constituency like Chengannur which is known for the conservative outlook of a large section of the electorate, including Hindus.

The national BJP leadership has reportedly given strict instructions to the State leaders regarding the bypoll in Chengannur by making it clear that it will be satisfied by nothing less than victory. There were even reports that there could a total revamp of the State leadership if the party fails to produce a second MLA in the State with this bypoll.

But senior State party leaders are now complaining that their task has become harder with the eruption of serious issues in the national level. They are finding it difficult to beat the attacks by the LDF and the UDF against the party and the Central Government it leads over issues like Kathua, Unnao, the fuel price hike and the frequent controversial statements from certain leaders.

“The LDF and UDF are currently focusing on issues like Kathua. The Left has already launched a vicious door-to-door campaign using such issues. Our workers are countering this effectively but the opponents are sure to step up the offensive in the coming days. We have to win this perspective war,” said a senior BJP leader who liked to keep anonymity.

He, however, aired confidence that the situation is bound to change as electioneering picks up momentum once again in the coming days with national leaders descending on the constituency. “We are determined to win this by-poll and win we will. The wind here is in our favour. The small hindrances have to be overcome,” he added.

The fact that Chengannur is witnessing a tough triangular battle will work out in Sreedharan Pillai’s favour, BJP leaders say. They are confident that a large section of the Christians, who constitute 20 percent of the electorate, are supportive of the party candidate. “Pillai is a well-respected man here. We don’t ignore that fact,” said Ajith Kumar, an LDF campaigner.

Another problem the BJP faces in Chengannur is the hiccups in the party-led NDA system in the State with its biggest ally Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a political party of the outfits of several majority community organizations of Kerala, deciding not to have any cooperation with it till the demands it has put forth to BJP leadership are met.

The BDJS had at a meeting of its State council held on Sunday decided to keep off the NDA’s electioneering in Chengannur till the BJP’s national leadership addressed its grievances, which are mainly related to the alleged promise of positions in Central corporations and boards though that party is claiming that the issues relate to problems within the alliance.

BDJS president Thushar Vellappally, however, denied plans for quitting the NDA. “The other two fronts have many times expressed their willingness to welcome us. But we are still part of the NDA,” he said, adding that he was confident that the national BJP leadership would soon find “solutions to the problems we have raised”.