Eyeing Christian votes, Kerala BJP leaders visit Bishop Houses on Easter

Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to garner more Christian votes in the state, the BJP reached out to Christian religious leaders on Easter.

The senior leaders including Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan and party national executive member and former state president, P.K. Krishnadas paid visits to the Bishop houses in the state.

While Muraleedharan visited the Latin Catholic Arch diocese headquarters and exchanged wishes with the Archbishop Mar George Netto, Krishnadas visited the Thalassesry Archbishop, Mar Joseph Pamplani at the Thalassery Bishop House.

BJP state president K. Surendran on Saturday visited the Thamarassery Archbishop Mar Remijius Paul Inchananiyil.

It is to be noted that the BJP state vice president and senior leader, A.N. Radhakrishnan had participated in the Malayattoor Church festival on Good Friday day and had even climbed the Malayatoor hill to reach the shrine.

The Kerala BJP is in a serious bid to woo the Christian community in a desperate attempt to gain political mileage and to break the deadlock of not winning Assembly or Lok Sabha seats in the state.

A group of former Kerala Congress leaders, including ex-MLAs and a former MP is working behind the scene to float a new political party for Christian interests and this new party would align with the BJP in Kerala as part of the National Democratic Alliance.

Kerala has a strong presence of minority communities, including Christians and Muslims and of late following the 'Love Jihad' cases and other issues, there has been a marked shift in the attitude of Christians towards the Muslim community and the BJP is trying to capitalise on that rift.

IANS with superficial edits