The Hindu : BJP says 'no' to vote-bank `hijacking'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 04, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

BJP says 'no' to vote-bank `hijacking'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI AUG. 3. The ideology-based political stance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be modified with the addition of a strategy-based approach, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, newly-elected BJP State president, has said.

Talking to presspersons along with the former BJP State president, C.K. Padmanabhan, after assuming office as party president here today, Mr. Pillai said the BJP had given up the practice of allowing the party's vote bank to be ``hijacked'' by the UDF. Those who attempted to repeat the practice in future would be shown the door, Mr. Pillai said.

The party would decide its poll strategy in the State according to the political situation, as and when it arose, Mr. Pillai said. He reiterated that the political atmosphere in Kerala was conducive for the growth of BJP.

Mr. Pillai said the new political polarisation, likely to take place throughout the country during the next general election, would have its effect in Kerala too. The political relevance of the UDF and the LDF would be lost since they would have to join ranks to fight the challenge posed by the BJP at the national level, he said.

Mr. Pillai lauded the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony's recent statement on minorities, but said that it was in reality the result of a strategy adopted by the Congress at its Shimla session. This was evident from the way the two senior leaders of the party went on issuing contradictory statements from two parts of the State, immediately after the Shimla meeting, he said.

Mr. Pillai said that minority communities were increasingly attracted towards the BJP. Four out of the five representatives for the State council meeting from Idukki district were Christians, he said.

Mr. Padmanabhan said that Mr. Antony had a long-term ``personal agenda'' of forming a Hindu platform, in order to ensure his own political future. ``But, Mr. Antony's actions are in direct contrast to his words,'' Mr. Padmanabhan said.

Mr. Padmanabhan said that Kerala, which was the birthplace of Adi Sankara, was under the threat of becoming "another Kashmir". The unity of India was now facing threats from certain forces in Kerala, according to Mr. Padmanabhan.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News Update

Stories in this Section

BJP says 'no' to vote-bank `hijacking'

Finance panel report: delay may prove costly

India's first computer-literate village

Priority for sanitation in Sabarimala

Excise Dept. dodges House panel

Biotechnology Mission: Cabinet to study report

Separate wing for traffic enforcement proposed