All that begins well may go a long way. But Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Kerala unit president of BJP, has created a problem for himself by appointing a media convener -- who is allegedly linked to Popular Front of India (PFI).
There are two issues to begin in.
Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is ignoring 'karyakartas' and is bringing in "his own people". This complaint is from the BJP leaders.
On the other hand, the RSS leaders are cautious about alleged PFI links.
The new appointee Sandeep Somnath is said to be a close friend of Sidheeq Kappan, a journalist having alleged links with the PFI and out on bail in a UAPA case.
A prominent Hindutva leader Swami Bhargava Ram, close to the RSS, is leading the campaign against this new appointee's inclusion in the BJP chief's team.
The saffron leader has also raised security concerns over the appointment, linking the appointee with Kappan.
PFI has often been accused of involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities. In 2012, the Government of Kerala claimed that the organization was a resurrection of the banned terrorist outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), an affiliate of the Indian Mujahideen.
The PFI was banned by the Centre in September 2022 after the ED, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and various state police forces carried out countrywide raids against its office-bearers and establishments.
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| Former Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar |
It goes without stating that the BJP is ambitious about its Kerala plans. But it remains a struggling outfit there trying to make a deeper space vis-a-vis the Left and the Congress.
To make matters all the more challenging, the RSS, it is learnt, wants the team of the new BJP chief in the state to give opportunities to “new faces” from within the organisation.
Several senior BJP leaders are miffed over the efforts by the new chief to bring in "his own people".
The much expected Kerala Assembly polls are scheduled in 2026 along with WEst Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu; the local body polls are scheduled by the end of this year.
"Some leaders, sources said, have also complained that a “parallel system” is getting propped up in the state unit. Also, there are reports that some of the BJP workers had an altercation with some of the “outsiders” recently in the BJP office, about which the party central leadership was apprised," reports 'The Deccan Chronicle'.
It has been argued in BJP circles that by choosing a high profile businessman-turned-neta, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Lotus party has tried to introduced new paradigm shift and move 'beyond polarising rhetoric' to deal with Kerala's complex social and political landscape.
The mandate of Rajeev has been to counter the developmental narrative set by Pinarayi Vijayan, who is likely to lead the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) for a third time in 2026 polls.
Analysts also say Rajeev, like Suresh Gopi who won from Thrissur, also provides the party with a dominant caste face acceptable to a demographic that includes Nairs and elite Christians, who have moved closer to the BJP.
Security concerns highlighted:
'Controversial' Janmabhoomi journalist Sandeep Somnath was transferred him from Delhi bureau chief post to online desk at Thiruvananthapuram after a snap surfaced.
Local BJP leaders say as media convener is authorised to issue media passes for VVIP programmes and thus the security issue is vital.
See snap :
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