KOCHI: A day after veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal criticised Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan for airing his views on the Kerala government’s protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, resentment is brewing among the rank and file of the party over the untimely remarks.
According to a state leader of the party, the ‘misinformation campaign’ launched by certain parties has isolated BJP in Kerala politics. With the ruling front and opposition terming the Act anti-Muslim, the party is struggling to garner support for the Act passed by the Parliament.
“The governor has been able to expose the ruling party’s move to whip up passions and create a feeling of insecurity among the minorities. The BJP should give moral support to the governor who is being targeted unfairly. As the lone representative of the party in the state assembly O Rajagopal has a moral responsibility to defend the party and the governor. However, his words have confused the party workers,” said a party leader.
Though senior leaders were quick to launch a firefighting operation, terming the nonagenarian leader’s comment as an offer to mediate between the chief minister and Governor, the party workers refuse to accept the argument. Pointing out Rajagopal’s reluctance to vote against the resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly on December 31, a section of leaders opined that it exposed the lack of coordination between the party and the MLA.
“Somebody should have asked the MLA to vote against the resolution and stall the move to present it as a unanimous resolution at the national level. The MLA also could have sought the party’s opinion on the stand to be taken in the assembly. As a veteran leader he had advised the Governor and Chief Minister to avoid public spat and offered to mediate. He is the tallest leader of BJP in Kerala and the party workers will take it in the right sense,” party leader P Sivasankaran told TNIE.
However, party state secretary B Gopalakrishnan said O Rajagopal’s offer to mediate has exposed the ruling CPM’s lack of interest in resolving the issue. “The government has used the CAA issue for political gains as they are trying to whip up passions and garner Muslim votes. O Rajagopal is the most respected leader in Kerala and he reminded that the Chief Minister and the Governor should understand their limits and work accordingly. As he was offering to mediate he did not take sides. We don’t find anything wrong in his statement. The government should accept his offer and try to end the standoff,” he said.