THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has got a fillip in the state in the run-up to the general elections with former AICC secretary and spokesman Tom Vadakkan officially joining it. Tom was inducted into the party by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Vadakkan while speaking to Express on his joining the BJP said “My conscience was pricked by the Congress taking a negative attitude after the Pulwama tragedy in which our brave soldiers were martyred. Our aircraft entered Pakistani airspace and we lost a plane and our pilot was captured. Still, Congress leaders were asking for proof of our retaliatory attack and as spokesmen, we were told to speak according to the script written by the party and I could not digest this and left the party.”
The BJP is a political party with a national outlook and perspective and I find the party most suitable to join for several reasons, including the party’s position on nationalism and national pride, he said.
When asked whether his entry will lead to more people from the minority communities joining the BJP, Vadakkan said, “I am certain that my entry would lead to several people from the minority communities joining the BJP and this will also lead to the BJP looking inwards and more inclusive.”
The entry of Vadakkan was taken wholeheartedly by the state BJP leadership and party state president P S Sreedharan Pillai while speaking to Express said, “The entry of Tom Vadakkan is the opening up of a Pandora’s box and several leaders of the Congress party will join the BJP. The Congress is ideologically bankrupt and just as Vadakkan has said, the party has shown negativism in the Pulwama attack and its aftermath. People who have nationalistic pride cannot stand this.”
Pillai also said the entry of Vadakkan will give a major impetus for the minority communities to join the BJP in the state and this will lead to the opening up of the BJP as a party looked upon by all the communities.”It is to be noted Vadakkan is considered close to Thrissur Arch Bishop Andrews Thazhath and the state BJP hopes he can be a bridge for the BJP and the Catholic community in the state.