THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A chopper-hopping state president contesting in two seats, a bevy of Central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi touring the state more than once for poll campaign and unprecedented backing by the national leadership both in terms of money and manpower - yet the BJP failed to even retain its lone assembly seat in the state. The onus of the dismal electoral performance would undoubtedly land on the state leadership helmed by K Surendran.
It was after BJP national president J P Nadda’s arrival in the state in the run-up to the election that an uneasy truce was forged in the state unit that is known for rampant factionalism. Nadda, who took the bull by the horns ensured that the state unit faces the election unitedly. Though dissidence was quelled, the party’s negative campaign strategy especially in the time of the pandemic and its excessive focus on the Sabarimala issue failed to inspire the voters.
“By promising to bring a law against love jihad and by appeasing one section of the warring church groups and thereby antagonising the other, the state leadership caused large-scale polarisation of Muslim and Christian votes against the party,” opined a core group member.There were also complaints against Surendran for reserving candidature only for leaders affiliated to the official faction.
Dissenting leaders had to seek the Central leadership’s intervention to get a ticket at the eleventh hour. The issue had blown out in the open with RSS ideologue R Balashankar’s bitter outbursts against the state leadership.“Though Surendran may be able to stonewall the brickbats against his leadership from within the state unit, he will have to face really tough questions from the Central leadership when they take stock of the election result,” opined a former party state president.
As Surendran’s fierce critics within the party too had unsuccessfully contested the election, immediate demands for a leadership change are unlikely. However, the possibility of the Central leadership taking some sort of corrective action cannot be completely ruled out, party sources said.