THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The arrest of the Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh has snowballed into a political storm in Kerala with the Left parties, Congress, and various associations mounting a strong campaign that threatens to derail the BJP’s outreach among Christians in the state.
Senior BJP leaders acknowledged that the issue has shaken the party’s recent gains in building closer ties with Church authorities.
“For some time, the Congress and Left were worried about our growing proximity to bishops and the Church. Unable to stop it, they are now using the Chhattisgarh arrests as a weapon to break that trust,” a BJP leader said.
The BJP had planned a ward-level campaign across Kerala from August 1 to 10, aimed at expanding its membership. Party insiders say the meetings will now double as a reality check on how much damage the controversy has caused.
Even while firmly opposing forced conversions, the Kerala BJP moved quickly to intervene in the Chhattisgarh case.
A delegation was sent to assist the arrested nuns after the state unit concluded there was no evidence of conversion attempts.
“We took a bold step, fully aware it might backfire, but it was clear this was a genuine case. Our priority is ensuring justice for the nuns,” a senior leader explained.