Congress trying to woo more parties from left-front, CPI(M)-CPI fail to curb flow of Hindu votes to BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: With an impressive performance in the local body polls, the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala is likely to explore options of wooing more parties from the ruling front, whereas the CPI (M) and CPI seem to be seriously worried over the failure in plugging the flow of its Hindu votes to the BJP.

Though the BJP could improve its performance by winning the Thiruvananthapuram corporation and more wards across the state, its minority approach efforts seems to have made little impact so far.

Congress is likely to make efforts to bring back Kerala Congress (M), a regional party with considerable influence in the Christian strongholds of central Kerala, back to the front. KC(M), which has been with the left front since 2020, seems to be quite worried over the poor performance of the left-front in the local body polls.

Political analysts point out that the election results clearly indicate that the UDF could regain firm support from the minority communities, while the CPM and CPI continue to suffer the flow of its Hindu votes to the BJP.

After the setback in the 2024 local body polls, CPM leaders had openly expressed concerns over the Hindu-Ezhava votes flowing to BJP camps. CPM state leader also criticized that the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), a forum on the Ezhava community, was getting closer to BJP. The Global Ayyappa Sangamam initiated by the left-front government and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan showing his rapport with SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan by taking the latter in his official car were considered as efforts to woo the Hindu vote banks.

But all those efforts went in vain after the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple gold heist got exposed.

"The flow of Hindu votes from CPM-CPI to the BJP is very clear in this election also as the BJP mostly gained at places where the CPM-CPI suffered loss. Hindu-Ehava dominated districts like Kollam and Alappuzha are clear examples," said political analyst J Prabhash.

He also pointed out that the communal campaigns unleashed by CPM leaders as well as SNDP leader Natesan seem to have helped the Congress in regaining the support of the minority communities.

The local body results have brightened BJP's hopes of winning many seats in the coming assembly elections. In Thiruvananthapuram alone the BJP won most of the local body wards in at least three assembly constituencies. But the BJP could not make much gains in the Christian strongholds of central Kerala.

The BJP, which won Thiruvananthapuram corporation, is planning to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state capital within 45 days and announce a major development plan for the city, as announced by party state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar during the campaign. The event could also mark the kick off of BJP's assembly election campaign in the state.