THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The saffron party is open to sulking Kerala Congress leader PJ Joseph and for that matter any leaders or fringe groups or political parties who are willing to align or associate with the BJP, said BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao who is in charge of Kerala. He was speaking to Express on Wednesday.
“I can’t specifically say which all parties and leaders the BJP is talking to but one thing is certain, we are into discussions with several parties and leaders of fringe parties and even with leaders who are in mainstream political parties. We are a party with hunger in our belly and we are on the verge to break the barrier. Regarding Joseph, yes the BJP can enter into discussions with him and in politics nothing is impossible,” he said.
On asked how serious the BJP is for the ensuing general elections, Rao said the BJP as a political party has always been serious in elections and it is a brick-by-brick, step-by-step building process for the party in the state over the past several years. “Our karyakartas and our grass root workers have put in their body, mind and soul in the effort of building the party and ultimately, we have reached a point wherein we will reap the dividends of the work done by our predecessors and our karyakartas who toiled day and night to build the party fending off adversaries. So, this time around we have reached a stage wherein we will be in the winning mould.”
To a question on the scenario where even BJP sympathisers are voting for the Congress in certain constituencies to checkmate the CPM, the BJP leader said, “It’s a riddle we were facing since decades and this we have to overcome. Party sympathisers may tend to do that to defeat the CPM but that situation has changed and the BJP has entered into a position wherein the BJP will get all its votes polled. Congress is not a party which can defeat the CPM in the state and it is a tight three-cornered fight. The BJP is seriously contesting with all the loopholes plugged and we are expecting major upset victories this time around.”
Muralidhar Rao alleged the CPM and the Congress are in political adjustment and understanding not only in West Bengal but also in Kerala and everywhere in the country. The CPM is fast entering a phase wherein that party is on the verge of liquidation and they are trying to cling on with whatever support they get and hence they are trying to piggy ride on the shoulders of the Congress. I mean to say they are of course having an understanding between each other and this is leading to a situation wherein they are one entity and not two parties, he said.
On asked whether BDJS state president Thushar Vellappally will contest, Rao said it is for the party to decide as to who is contesting. “We will announce the NDA list on August 17. However, I can categorically say there have been several rounds of discussions with him and the BJP national leaders, including myself, and with the party president also and all are for him contesting the polls. I feel he may contest the elections,” he said.
The national leader said the BJP will gain tremendously in this elections. “I can give the exact number of seats that the party and the NDA will garner after our list is announced on August 17.”