Recent reports suggest that the Christian community in Kerala may be leaning towards the Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP). The Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany’s statement that they would support the BJP in elections if the union government raised the price of rubber to Rs 300 has sparked controversy. Both ruling and opposition parties are concerned that this may change the political landscape in the state.
The BJP has been striving to gain a foothold in Kerala and is hoping to secure the support of religious minorities such as Christians. However, their attempts to do so have not been successful, despite their campaign against “Love Jihad.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even stated that they will come to power in Kerala, as they did in Tripura.
There have been ongoing discussions between the church leadership and the BJP central leadership for several years. While political leaders claim that the Bishop’s statement is not political, it is clear that politics are involved. The political scenario in Kerala may not be as expected by the ruling and opposition parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, the majority orthodox Muslim population in Kerala is still a concern for the BJP, and this is a significant barrier for them to secure seats in the state. It remains to be seen how the political scenario in Kerala will play out in the coming months.
Discussion about this post