THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The RSS, which has been spearheading BJP’s bypoll campaigns, is unhappy with the series of events unfolding in the party of late.
The party mainly focuses on house visits and meeting each party sympathiser and neutral voter individually to make sure that those votes are polled in favour of its candidate Krishnakumar in Palakkad. It was former BJP organising secretary K Subash who kept the party united with his iron fist for the last 11 years. However, after he returned to the parent organisation RSS, the state BJP leadership had not asked for a replacement for him, and according to party insiders this is likely to cost the BJP dearly, especially in the decisive battle for Palakkad.
“Earlier there were several groups in the party. When a section of leaders assumes control of the party, leaders close to them will be promoted and the remaining ones will be sidelined. However, Subash changed that situation and gave proper space for all leaders. Now, that situation has changed,” a BJP office-bearer told TNIE.
This is evident from the outburst of some leaders. Social media star Sandeep G Varier declaring war on the leadership, and senior leader Sobha Surendran’s unwarranted statement about her chances of elevation as state president of the party have raised eyebrows.
“The sudden developments have raised questions in the minds of workers and public that there is a section in the party that do not want the party to win in Palakkad,” a senior leader told TNIE on condition of anonymity.
“If the BJP candidate wins in Palakkad, it will pave the way for significant achievements for the party in the coming LSG elections. It will also help the party garner 5-10 seats in the next assembly elections. These achievements will normally go to the credit of incumbent state president K Surendran. The win in the byelection will help in Krishnakumar’s elevation in the party hierarchy,” he said.
The RSS has long ago identified leaders’ ego and self-centric attitude as the biggest reasons for BJP’s lack of progress in Kerala. The RSS had also pointed out the lack of an election strategy and crisis management mechanism, and immature leadership as reasons for the party’s poor poll performance.
There is also criticism that senior leaders were not given charge of crucial roles in Palakkad campaign. Instead, vice-president P Raghunath is in charge of the campaigning. Incidentally, the alleged rift between Raghunath and Sandeep Varier resulted in the latter’s exit from the campaign. “Leaders like A N Radhakrishnan, B Gopalakrishnan, S Suresh, and P K Krishnadas were not given proper roles in the campaigning,” a BJP leader said. These strategic shortcomings have led to the rumblings in the party’s campaign, which may prove costly in the days to come, he said.
Double engine promise
BJP leadership has decided to continue with its own political narrative and development agenda. Krishnakumar’s promise of realising All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Palakkad is intended to remind the voter about the prospects of double engine at the Centre and Palakkad. The party is using another trump card by bringing in Metroman E Sreedharan as a strategic tool. BJP is banking on his acceptability among upper classes and castes. “C Krishnakumar will win,” Sreedharan told TNIE. “The voters have realised that my defeat was a setback for the development of Palakkad. If Krishnakumar wins, my ideas could be implemented through him,” he said.
