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As the 2024 general elections draw near, the Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself embroiled in a conundrum over candidate selections for the state’s Lok Sabha constituencies. With murmurs of discontent growing louder, particularly regarding the choice of candidates for some of the announced seats, the spotlight is on the upcoming central election committee meeting where four more seats are yet to be finalized.
The Kerala BJP is pinning its hopes on leveraging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and his outreach efforts towards the Christian minority to secure a breakthrough in the state, where electoral success has historically eluded the party.
However, a faction within the state leadership is expressing dissatisfaction over the central leadership’s preference for turncoats over dedicated party workers who have tirelessly worked in the Communist stronghold. They highlight concerns over the selection process, particularly the apparent lack of emphasis on accommodating Christian candidates, crucial for wooing a community that represents a significant portion of Kerala’s population.
According to senior state leaders, the party remains optimistic about clinching key constituencies like Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pathanamthitta, earmarking them for seasoned leaders or candidates with substantial support bases.
However, the decision to nominate recent entrants like Anil Antony over long-standing figures like PC George, known for his ties with the church, has stirred dissent within the party ranks. Speculation regarding candidates like Padmaja Venugopal further adds to the unrest among party workers, who feel demoralized by the prominence given to newcomers and turncoats over loyalists.
In Kannur, the selection of former Congressman C Raghunath over senior leader CK Padmanabhan has also sparked discontent, exacerbated by Padmanabhan’s recent criticism of the party’s perceived anti-Muslim stance.
Furthermore, the absence of Abdul Salam, the sole Muslim candidate in the lineup, from the Prime Minister’s recent roadshow in Kerala has provided ammunition for opposition criticism, with the BJP facing accusations of deliberate exclusion despite Salam’s clarification that his constituency wasn’t included in the roadshow’s itinerary.
As the BJP navigates these challenges, the spotlight remains on the upcoming central committee meeting, where crucial decisions regarding candidate selections will shape the party’s electoral prospects in Kerala.
