When the Bharatiya Janata Party opened its account in Kerala for the first time in the assembly elections held in May this year, the party identified a vote bank that was never explored in the past.
In an attempt to retain its captive vote base, BJP is to launch a national-level campaign against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government soon.
The BJP would play this card on two grounds: the government's stand on religious matters including the entry on women to Sabarimala shrine and political violence that has become rampant in the state.
NJ Nair reports for The Hindu that through the national-level campaign, BJP aims at not attaining immediate short term gains, but to give a national perspective on the attacks on Sangh Parivar activists in Kerala.
According to the report, Kerala BJP involving its national counterparts in studying political violence in Kerala can be seen as the first step.
After an unidentified man threw a crude bomb at BJP state committee office in Thiruvananthapuram recently, the party had roped in national-level leaders to study the situation in Kerala, especially politically sensitive Kannur district.
On Sunday, a five-member committee headed by BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav toured Kerala and demanded a CBI probe or an inquiry headed by a high court judge.
Though CPI (M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan is reported to have expressed willingness to hold unconditional dialogue for regaining peace in the state, the BJP maintains that the Chief Minister himself must take the lead.
“Since the CPI(M) is in power, the onus is on them to retain peace and the Chief Minister should take the lead for preventing such incidents,” RSS State joint secretary M. Radhakrishnan told The Hindu.