Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Kerala unit is witnessing rising internal dissent following the announcement of its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, reflecting similar unrest seen within the Indian National Congress and CPI(M).
With Kerala scheduled to vote on April 9, all three major parties are grappling with internal strains even before the campaign gains full momentum.
For the BJP, the current turbulence is particularly significant. The party has no representation in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly, having lost its lone seat in Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, after its historic 2016 victory. The latest discord threatens to further complicate efforts to regain a foothold in the state.
The exclusion of senior leaders such as Kummanam Rajasekharan and P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, both former Governors and past state party presidents, has triggered sharp reactions. Grassroots workers have openly protested what they see as the sidelining of veterans who have long served the party.
The unrest is not confined to leadership circles but has spilt onto the streets in several districts. A major flashpoint has been the decision to shift district president Sandeep Vachaspati from Chengannur to Haripad. Local cadres argue that moving a candidate perceived as having strong winning prospects weakens the party’s chances in Chengannur.
Similarly, the decision to drop Reji Lukose in Kaduthuruthy after allotting the seat to the BDJS has angered sections of the Knanaya community, raising concerns about alienating Christian voters.
Adding to the unease are murmurs within RSS circles over the non-inclusion of key leaders in constituencies such as Aranmula and Ranni. Questions also remain over whether Sreedharan Pillai will be accommodated in the forthcoming candidate lists.
Criticism is mounting over the leadership style under Rajeev Chandrasekhar, with some alleging that strategic decisions are being taken without adequate consideration of Kerala’s political realities.
The state leadership has sought to downplay the crisis, asserting that differences will soon be resolved and the full list of candidates finalised. However, with the second list expected shortly, the stakes are high. Failure to accommodate senior leaders could deepen factional divides, posing a serious challenge to the BJP’s electoral prospects in the state.
With IANS inputs