Kerala BJP on the verge of collapse
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (May 7 HS): Hundreds of party cadre in Kerala are on the verge of leaving BJP and joining the CPI(M). “This is the major achievement of the state unit chief K Surendran and union minister of state for parliamentary affairs V Muraleedharan,” said a senior party activist who has been with the BJP for more than two decades.
K Surendran, who started as a party spokesman and made it to the top with the blessings of Muraleedharan, is yet to show any leadership qualities, according to party workers. “Please note that he has not won in any elections. This time he contested from two constituencies and lost from both. This is a real distinction and unusual honour. Had I been in his place , I would have quit the party post then and there,” said a professional, who is a party office -bearer,
Muraleedharan and Surendran are behind the caste politics being played out in the BJP, allege party workers. “Both of them belong to the Eezhava community and are the blue eyed boys of Vellappilli Natesan, the owner of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yoga, an umbrella organization of Eezhava community,” said the office-bearer. Tushar Vellappilli, son of Natesan and a businessperson with dubious records is the close associate of Muraleedharan-Surendran duo.
Tushar was arrested by Dubai Police in connection with a cheating case and was released only after the intervention of BJP’s central leadership at the instance of Surendran and Muraleedharan. “Why BJP should continue its political alliance with BJDS, an organization launched by Tushar for his illegal activities, is a major question. Natesan, a leading liquor contractor, is known as a political pimp for CPI(M) and Chief Minister Vijayan, Tushar represents the anti-national elements,” said a woman leader of the BJP who is widely respected for her erudition and scholarship.
There is a general consensus among the party cadre spread across from Ksaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south that leaders who have been monopolizing the party’s positions should move over enmasse owning up the moral responsibility for the worst defeat suffered by the BJP in the electoral history of Kerala. “I am sad that hundreds of RSS and BJP workers get murdered by the CPI(M) and Islamic terrorists every year in Kerala. The murderers know that there is no use in murdering the leaders who could be bought over. But the dedicated and disciplined cadre of the RSS and BJP are precious and invaluable. You will never get such dedicated workers anywhere in the State,” said the woman leader.
People in Kerala are yet to get over from the show enacted by P M Velayudhan, former vice president of the party. He held a press meet at Kochi and broke down during the meet explaining how he was sidelined by the present leadership . Septuagenarian Velayudhan had contested all elections since the formation of the party. Elections are his main source of income. He is a leading mobilizer of funds and makes use of the election to the hilt. The money he collects as election fund goes to his personal account.
There are many leaders like Velayudhan in the BJP. A N Radhakrishnan, C K Padmanabhan, Adv Gopalakrishnan, Padmakumar are just a few of them. “Union Minister Muraleedharan has not won even a panchayat election in his life. He is union minister because of the good will of MLAs in Gujarat who got him elected as a member of the Upper House. He will never win from Kerala,” said a BJP activist.
Veteran political commentators in the State who are favorably disposed towards Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are of the view that the best thing the central leadership of the BJP could do is to immediately disband the Kerala BJP. “The present leadership in the State are parasites. They breed on the blood of BJP’s workers and the financial help offered by the central leadership. Most of the leaders in Kerala are wheeler dealers,” said a reputed commentator known for his integrity to the profession.
