BJP hope for Kerala expansion gets wings as decks get cleared for a new Christian ally

One of the disgruntled UDF leaders from Central Kerala’s Christian belt, Nelloor’s exit from the Kerala Congress (J) came as a sequel to the perceived BJP-backed moves to float a new party of Christians.

It is believed that a section of the influential Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, which has been at the forefront of discussions with the BJP’s national leaders in recent months, has given its nod for a new party of the Christian community in Kerala. Although Nelloor has not announced the name of his proposed outfit yet, it is being called the Nationalist Progressive Party for now.

Sources said a retired Catholic bishop, who had maintained close links with the BJP leadership, had recently convened a meeting of various Kerala Congress and Congress party leaders in Central Kerala to deliberate on the new party. “Six former legislators took part in the meeting. However, most of them don’t have mass support. They have got sidelined in politics,” said a source privy to the development.

While announcing his plan to float a new party Nelloor told reporters, “What is in the offing is not a Christian party. It would be a secular, national party, which would highlight the concerns of farmers, particularly rubber. Central Kerala is reeling under poverty after the rubber prices nosedived. At this moment I cannot say anything about the alliance with BJP. The new party would have leaders from other communities also. We don’t want to brand the new party as a Christian outfit.”

The Central Kerala politics, in which various Christian groups used to play a key role once, has been undergoing a churn in recent years. The death of Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani and the subsequent split in the party have led to a vacuum in Christian politics in the region, which expanded following the exit of the Indian National Congress veteran and former chief minister Oommen Chandy from active politics.

While the Kerala Congress (M) joined the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF camp, another splinter group led by P J Joseph remained with the UDF. The unfolding situation left several second-rung regional Christian leaders disgruntled after the Kerala Congress factions lost their bargaining vis-a-vis the LDF as well as the UDF.
Nelloor also took a dig at the current Congress leadership, saying that he used to get better response from the UDF when it was led by Chandy.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, said the UDF does not have a leader who does not take a firm stand against the “BJP’s communalism”. “Nelloor is a disgruntled person, who has been keeping away from active politics,” he charged.

UDF leader and RSP state secretary Shibu Baby John also took a swipe at Nelloor’s move. “Despite flitting in and out of bishops’ houses in Kerala, BJP got only Nelloor. That shows the BJP’s desperateness,” he charged.

Sources said the BJP is reaching out to the dissident leaders from various Christian groups in Central Kerala, mainly those in the Kerala Congress splinter groups, so that they could band together to form a new outfit which would ally with the saffron party. This is part of the BJP’s gameplan to make inroads in Kerala in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2026 Assembly elections.

Two days ago, the UDF’s Pathanamthitta district convener and senior Kerala Congress (J) leader Victor Thomas left the party. He is yet to open up about his next move, but sources said Thomas would also find his way into the BJP-backed Christian party.

BJP state president K Surendran recently said that 80 Christian families of Kottayam were going to become the members of the party.