THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the BJP has strengthened its political involvement in Kerala, the UDF has decided to reach out to the Christian and Muslim communities by raising messages of religious companionship. Ties with all religious and community leaders will be strengthened.

UDF suspects that BJP's Christian move is to take advantage of the Christian-Muslim rivalry. They have noticed that anti-Islamic propaganda has been gaining strength in some Catholic groups for some time. The exploitation of rivalry will not benefit the BJP, but it will benefit the Left Front. In the UDF leadership meeting held last day, the leaders expressed their concern that things will turn into a loss like what happened in the last assembly elections. They also suspect that the Sangh Parivar is trying to inflame issues like narcotic jihad that have emerged from Christian groups by releasing the movie 'Kerala Story'. It is in this context that it was agreed in the last UDF meeting that the leaders of the Front would come forward with the message of religious harmony even at the local level.

UDF does not see the strengthening of BJP's outreach programs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Christian leaders in Kochi as a unilateral move. They are of the view that various Christian church leaders are ready to praise the BJP and the Prime Minister as part of a new movement. There are BJP-friendly reactions from various church leaders in Kerala, despite the Christian organizations in Delhi protesting openly against the attacks on Christians and the UDF leadership is not taking this lightly.

Christian and Muslim minority support has always been the bedrock of UDF. UDF had more Christian support in terms of voter turnout, although it was shaken in the last election, but the fluctuation in the voter turnout benefited the Left Front ultimately.

CPM had reacted strongly against the favorable reactions of the religious leaders but UDF has decided not to take any provocative action as such. Instead, church leaders will be trusted and approached with messages of peace.