Can Rajeev Chandrasekhar unite, uplift Kerala BJP?

In a state unit long marked by factional infighting and organisational inertia, the Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finally found its new president in Rajeev Chandrasekhar. The national leadership’s decision to install an outsider — untethered to any entrenched camp — signals a deliberate reset. With pivotal local body and Assembly elections on the horizon, Chandrasekhar assumes command at a moment when the stakes could not be higher.

His mandate is clear but executing it will be far from simple — here’s a look at the potential opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for Chandrasekhar.

A balancing act of leadership

Chandrasekhar faces a twin challenge: energising the party’s electoral machinery and unifying a fractured organisation. Despite nearly two decades in the Rajya Sabha, his political experience has largely unfolded outside Kerala, making him a relative novice in the state’s nuanced and often volatile political theatre.

His first and immediate test will be candidate selection for the local body elections. Competing factions within the BJP are expected to lobby aggressively for their loyalists, and what begins as suggestion can swiftly harden into pressure. As the high-stakes assembly elections draw closer, this tension will likely escalate. Chandrasekhar’s willingness to either accommodate or resist such demands will determine not only his internal standing but also the coherence of his campaign strategy.

A president without foot soldiers

Further compounding his challenge is the timing of his appointment. The BJP’s district-level leaderships were overhauled prior to his appointment, meaning most key posts are now held by individuals loyal to various internal power centres. Lacking a natural support base within this structure, Chandrasekhar finds himself without dedicated foot soldiers.

Without the backing of reliable district-level allies, his organisational vision and agenda risk remaining aspirational rather than actionable. Overlaying this is the subtle yet real challenge of managing the egos of senior leaders now reporting to him — a dynamic that demands both tact and authority.

Fragile strongholds, elusive growth

Chandrasekhar’s broader mandate includes consolidating the BJP’s presence in local bodies and making tangible gains in the state assembly. But even in nominal strongholds like Palakkad and Pandalam, the BJP’s grip is far from assured. The Thiruvananthapuram corporation has witnessed little progress. To retain ground and push into new territory, Chandrasekhar will require full co-operation from both grassroots workers and senior leadership — a task that hinges on resolving internal disputes and building consensus across factions.

Despite a gradual increase in vote share over the years, the BJP has yet to transform that momentum into consistent Assembly success. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the party topped 11 Assembly segments — yet six of these were primarily attributed to Suresh Gopi’s personal appeal. Replicating such results with other candidates will test Chandrasekhar’s judgement and ability to build a winning bench.

A rare clean slate

Any party seeking deeper roots in Kerala must foster meaningful ties across the state’s diverse communities. While the BJP has forged relationships with select groups, its rapport with others remains limited — a vulnerability that constrains broader outreach.

Chandrasekhar, however, enters the fray unburdened by past baggage or factional affiliations. This clean slate offers him a unique advantage: the opportunity to reset equations and rebuild trust across a wider swathe of Kerala society. If he can present a more inclusive, modern vision for the party, he may be able to expand the BJP’s appeal beyond its traditional base.

Defying the stereotype

Critics often argue that Chandrasekhar, with his polished demeanour and corporate background, is too elite for Kerala’s gritty, grassroots politics. But in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he posted strong performances in coastal segments like Kovalam and Neyyattinkara — finishing second and pushing the CPI to a distant third. These results suggest that his style may resonate more than anticipated.

Moreover, Chandrasekhar’s profile — shaped by global education, entrepreneurial experience, and a modern outlook — could strike a chord with younger voters seeking aspirational leadership and a break from conventional political moulds. In an age when image and authenticity matter as much as ideology, his forward-looking approach could become an unexpected asset.

A moment of reckoning

Rajeev Chandrasekhar inherits a party riddled with internal discord, fragile support bases, and the weight of perennial underperformance. Yet within these challenges lie real opportunities. If Chandrasekhar can rally support, assert authority, and articulate a vision that bridges both the party’s internal divides and Kerala’s complex electorate, he could reset the BJP’s trajectory in the state.

The road ahead is fraught — but how he navigates it will shape not only his political future, but potentially, the party’s fortunes in Kerala for years to come.

Sreejith Panickar is a political commentator. X: @PanickarS.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.