In spite of a ‘Modi hurricane’ at the national level, the BJP in Kerala couldn’t even manage to get a seat, and lost Thiruvananthapuram by a margin of 99,989 votes.
The BJP must understand that Kerala is a state where it faces sharp resistance not only on the political front, but also on socio-religious issues.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s decision to implement the SC order – or rather his perceived haste in implementing the order – actually came as a surprise lifeline for the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.
At the heart of this crisis is the Supreme Court judgment allowing women of all ages entry into the Sabarimala Temple. The Sangh is in firefighting mode after having issued a press release in favour of the verdict, writes Anu Narayanan.
After Kummanam Rajasekharan's appointment as Mizoram Governor, the RSS wants the BJP to pick a leader acceptable to the Sangh as well, a tough ask considering there is no consensus on a handful of faces that fit the bill.
The BJP high command decided to appoint Kerala unit chief Kummanam Rajashekharan as Mizoram governor a day before Chengannur polling. The party retired its general in the middle of war, and voters responded in kind.
Today, Kannan is very much the RSS man he once was. Every morning without fail, he attends the RSS shakha nearby his home in Palakkad, Kerala, and keeps Sangh ideologue MS Golwalkar’s ‘Mein Swayamsewak Hun’ close to his chest.
Stalwarts like Dattopant Thengadi set up Kerala’s RSS unit aligned to the state’s egalitarian ethos, making it one of the most inclusive in the country. For those looking to imbibe, there is a lot to learn from the state.
