THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The lacklustre performance of the BJP in the Malappuram byelection has come as a dampener of spirits to the party that has been hoping to spring surprises in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP feels the outcome of the Malappuram bypoll is against the national mood, where it senses a decisive shift in favour of the party. But, for the state leadership which has been galvanising the party machinery at the grassroot level in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Malappuram experience has been frustrating.
For the national leadership, the fall in vote share is alarming particularly in the backdrop of the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh elections, where the party managed to make inroads in Muslim majority areas also.
The Malappuram fiasco has put the BJP state leadership in the dock with critics training their guns on state president Kummanam Rajasekharan.
The poor show in Malappuram comes in sharp contrast to the spectacular victory of the party in four states including Uttar Pradesh. The party state unit failed to live up to the expectations of the central leadership which has grand plans to expand its footprint in Kerala.
The Malappuram poll debacle will cost the BJP state leadership dear as it will weaken its claim for the fruits of power from the centre. Though three years have past since the Narendra Modi Government assumed power, the state leadership is yet to receive any thing worthwhile. Not even a single leader from Kerala has been named for a government post.
The neglect of the national leadership has already exposed the chicks in the NDA armour with its major ally BDJS complaining openly about broken promises. Tribal leader C K Janu also criticised the BJP policies at the NDA meeting. While BJP is hell bent on attracting prominent parties to the NDA dispensation, the Malappuram fiasco will pose hurdles to the party’s grand plans.
However, BJP national executive member P K Krishnadas said the Malappuram debacle could not be termed as frustrating. “The composition of the electorate in Malappuram is known to everyone. The result of the Malappuram bypoll is not going to have any impact on the party’s poll prospects. It will not affect the party’s efforts to woo more allies to the NDA dispensation,” he said.
Party’s state intellectual cell convener TG Mohandas said the BJP has never been a force to reckon with in the Malappuram district.
According to him, the Hindu consolidation has helped the LDF in Malappuram as the Hindus in the constituency felt voting for the LDF would be more prudent as it has more chance to win against the Muslim league.
“By maintaining its 65,000 votes intact, the BJP has actually consolidated its vote base. The Hindu vote consolidation has helped the LDF increase its votes share,” he said. Mohandas also expressed doubts over the genuineness of the increase of one lakh voters in just three years in a constituency.