Replicating 2014 model, BJP supporters start conversations over buttermilk in Kerala

A group of Malayali professionals have come together to support the BJP, but have replaced tea with buttermilk.

The group, which calls itself “I Support Kummanam” and is based in Bengaluru, is organizing ‘Sambhara Samvadam’ (Conversations over Buttermilk) events with national BJP leaders.

Binu Padmam, one of the coordinators, says ‘Sambhara Samvadam’ is a Kerala version of Narendra Modi’s Chai Pe Charcha’. Accordingly, the “I support Narendra Modi” slogan has been changed to “I Support Kummanam”. Some of the group members organizing Sambhara Samvadam had helped set up Chai Pe Charcha events in various places, including Kerala, in 2014.

The campaign was kick-started in Aranmula by BJP’s Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. Two events with national leaders such as Anurag Singh Thakur and Meenkashi Lekhi have already been organized. National Media Convenor of BJYM Nupur Sharma will inaugurate the next edition, which will be conducted in Kozhikode, Vadakara, Quilandy and Kuthuparambu. The organisers are also planning on bringing leaders such as Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha, union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and General VK Singh for the upcoming editions.

The group looks for leaders who have influence among the youngsters. “We have no difficulty in convincing these leaders to come to Kerala. These national leaders are more approachable than some of our state leaders. However, we have the full support of the state party members in carrying out these meetings,” Binu says. 

“We want leaders to talk about development under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and we want to inform Kerala’s voters about the various developmental schemes that the central government has devised. Mainstream media in Kerala do not focus on these matters and as a result a lot of people are unaware about these developments”, said T Jineesh, another coordinator.

To this end, the group has launched a Malayalam website www.keralacircle.org listing out the achievements of the Modi government and the various schemes launched by the government. “The website is not just for the elections. We have a long-term aim of providing information about the Modi led NDA government,” said Binu.

asked why he supported the BJP, Jineesh said that he relocated to Bengaluru 11 years ago. “I have not moved back to Kerala is because there are no job opportunities there. This is the case with a lot of youngsters from Kerala. We need a third political force in Kerala that can actually bring development to the state and BJP is that force.”

Binu held similar views. “There is nothing in Kerala other than government jobs. Keralites do not even know what actual development is. They will understand it once they come out of Kerala. We need BJP for bringing development to the state,” he said.

Jineesh said that their meeting with Kerala’s BJP Chief, Kummanam Rajasekharan, went well. “We gave him ideas about various social media campaigns and he advised us not to lose our cool while reacting to provocative and abusive posts,” he said.