THRISSUR: Three persons from the Christian community figured in the list of BJP’s 27 new district presidents in Kerala, indicating the party’s move to take its Christian outreach efforts to its grassroots leadership. Four women were also among those named as district presidents.
The appointment of leaders from the Christian community as presidents – Justin Jacob in Thrissur City, Roy Chacko in Kottayam East and V C Varghese in Idukki South – were made in three districts having a significant Christian population. As part of party’s reorganisation, the BJP split some districts in the state into different organisational districts and units, each having separate presidents.
Announcing the new appointments in Thrissur on Monday, BJP state president K Surendran told reporters that the party has ensured adequate representation of women, minorities and SC/ST segments in the reorganisation. “About 30% of the booth committees are led by women, which is something only the BJP can do and be proud of.
We have given opportunity to four women leaders to serve as district party presidents. We have appointed three Christian leaders to serve as district presidents. How many DCC (District Congress Committee) leaders are women? How many CPM district secretaries are mahila leaders,” he asked.
BJP’s women district presidents are M L Aswani (Kasaragod), Deepa Puzhakkal (Malappuram West), Nivedida Subrahmanian (Thrissur North), and Raji Prasad (Kollam East). Surendran said of the 269 constituency committees of the BJP, 34 will be led by women, which, he claimed, was a revolutionary step when compared to the presence of women in key positions in other political parties in Kerala.
“As many as 14 persons from the Christian community and 32 from the SC/ST community are included in the party’s constituency committees. The decision to split the districts was taken as part of strengthening the party’s activities,” Surendran said.