KOCHI: The BJP’s public outreach towards Christians has placed the Congress and Kerala Congress factions in a dilemma over the strategy to be adopted to retain the community within their fold. While the Kerala Congress (M), which has considerable influence within the community in the midlands, reassessed its approach by taking up farmers’ issues, including man-animal conflict and buffer zone, the Congress is still undecided on its final position on these matters.
One of the biggest challenges for Congress is formulating a plan to retain the Christian vote, while ensuring that it does not antagonise the Muslims, who have also historically supported the Congress-led UDF, in the process. The Opposition front currently finds itself hampered by the dearth of Christian leaders — a la K M Mani or Oommen Chandy — with considerable influence with the church.
The BJP’s feelers have left the traditional beneficiaries of the community’s support worried, ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections. Notwithstanding the Congress dynamics, the CPM in the previous local body and assembly elections was able to make inroads into the Christian vote bank. The exit of the KC(M) has also eaten into the UDF’s numbers. Besides, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been building a rapport with church leaders by addressing their grievances. Putting everything aside, the Congress has realised that the BJP’s efforts pose the most potent threat and it is devising a plan to win back the community’s votes.
Political observer A Jayasankar says the BJP strategy will impact Congress more than any other outfit in the state. “It’s difficult to predict the extent to which the BJP wooing will succeed. If it works, there is a possibility the Christian vote would split three ways — in favour of Congress, CPM, and BJP — similar to what’s happening with Nair votes,” he pointed out.
The alleged ‘love’ and ‘narcotic’ jihad, and the flow of benefits to a particular community, among other things, are likely to have prompted church leaders to rethink traditional strategies, by shifting allegiance towards the saffron camp.