THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP core committee, which met here on Saturday, observed that the party had increased its vote share in the recent local body elections compared to the 2020 polls. BJP general secretary M T Ramesh said vote shares in Lok Sabha and local self-government elections could not be compared, but added that the party had expanded its presence across more regions this time.
“As per our analysis, we had a 14% vote share in the 2020 local body polls, which has increased to 14.71% now,” Ramesh said at a press conference after the meeting at the party headquarters.
Ramesh alleged that the ruling LDF and the opposition UDF had worked as an alliance in over 3,000 wards to defeat the BJP. He said the party had emerged as a decisive force in several local bodies and improved its representation in nearly half of them. “We proved our winnability even in places where contesting itself was once a distant dream,” he said. Stating that Vikasita Keralam would continue to be the BJP’s slogan for the upcoming assembly elections, Ramesh said candidate selection was not discussed at the core committee meeting.
Adding that UDF is not the sole benefactor of the Sabarimala issue in the local body polls, Ramesh said that the BJP too earned a substantial share of the same, especially in Southern Kerala. “I don’t know why the state government oppose CBI probe into the gold theft case. Why is the chief minister afraid of the CBI?” he said, adding that UDF and LDF jointly looted the shrine.
Amit Shah visit on Jan 11
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the BJP’s poll campaign in the state on January 11. While preliminary discussions on the assembly elections were held at the core committee meeting, further deliberations would take place in Shah’s presence.
“We hope that he will give us directions on how to approach the coming elections,” Ramesh said. Shah will attend the state leadership meeting to be held in Thiruvananthapuram, and will further interact with all local body leaders of the party, the leader said.