After triumph in Thrissur, BJP kickstarts 'Operation Lotus' in Kannur

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP is trying to capitalize on the internal strife ongoing within CPM, to help strengthen the saffron party’s influence in the hitherto considered bulwark of Kerala. As part of the move, BJP has opted for communist bastion Kannur as the first major district for implementing 'Operation Lotus'. The party's top brass demands systematic work from cadres and direct communication with people to make the impossible possible.

In the last LS elections, CPM managed to win just one seat. More than the debacle, what shocked CPM was BJP’s vote increase even in party villages which also included CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency. In many CPM strongholds like Uduma, Thrikaripur, Payyannur, Dharmadam, and Taliparamba, BJP increased their votes by four times more than they received in 2019.

Even in the Chief Minister's constituency, where the BJP did not have a booth committee, they managed to secure three-digit votes. The BJP leadership believes people's animosity towards the current state government led to the saffron party’s vote gain. BJP was feeble in their election campaigning in CPM strongholds, but the vote surge has raised many eyebrows.

Minding people’s concern and by assessing general trends, BJP is trying to take advantage of the allegations against CPM leaders related to bomb politics, gold smuggling and quotation gangs. In previous times, the problems within CPM benefited Congress by large, evident from the Sabarimala controversy. To save embarrassment, BJP this time is sure to do meticulous groundwork to stop the erosion of CPM votes to Congress from Kannur.

Along with a handful of such strategies, what makes CPM fear is the saffron party’s knack to wheedle estranged and senior CPM leaders to their camp. The first sign came from Munnar when S Rajendran’s name got circled in the BJP maze. According to the report, more CPM leaders are on their way to join BJP in Kannur. Reports say that BJP leader PK Krishnadas will be the coordinator for the move.