LDF Confident of Third Term; Christian Support for BJP Unlikely, Says Kerala Minister
Madurai, April 5 — Kerala's Local Self-Government Minister, MB Rajesh, expressed strong confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will fail to make any significant impact in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, scheduled for next year. In a recent interview, Rajesh reaffirmed the Left Democratic Front's (LDF) chances of securing a third consecutive term.BJP's Rise in Vote Share Dismissed as UDF Defection
Despite the BJP increasing its vote share to around 19% in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajesh dismissed the surge as a temporary shift stemming from Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) voters. He pointed specifically to Thrissur, where actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi clinched a win for the BJP with a margin of 74,686 votes, defeating the CPI candidate. The Congress candidate, who had previously held the seat in 2019, finished third."In Thrissur, the shift was clearly from the UDF. We increased our votes by 16,000, but it was the UDF that lost significant ground," Rajesh said, attributing BJP’s win to the collapse of UDF support rather than a genuine rise in BJP’s grassroots presence.
LDF Poised for Another Term, Says Rajesh
Exuding optimism, Rajesh asserted that the LDF is on track to return to power.On Waqf Amendment Bill: ‘Assault on Secularism’
Rajesh criticized the recently passed Waqf (Amendment) Bill, describing it as an attack on secularism, constitutional values, and minority rights. While some Christian groups in Kerala, particularly from Munambam village near Kochi, have expressed support for the Bill, Rajesh maintained that the majority opinion remains firmly against it.“Very few organisations have supported the Bill. The broad secular consensus in Kerala is against this legislative move,” he said.
Residents of Munambam, backed by the Catholic Church, have been protesting for 174 days over land rights allegedly claimed by the Waqf Board. Following the Bill’s passage, around 50 locals joined the BJP in the presence of state party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
BJP’s Vision Not Aligned with Kerala’s Minorities, Says Minister
Rajesh also rejected the notion that BJP could garner significant Christian support in the state. Highlighting ideological concerns, he stated:He cited RSS ideologue MS Golwalkar’s views, claiming they portray minorities such as Muslims, Christians, and communists as internal enemies.
The minister concluded by asserting that Kerala's Christian community is unlikely to shift its allegiance to the BJP in any meaningful way.