Communal appeasement dominates Kerala bypolls

Even as Kerala boasts of being a relatively secular state, all mainstream political parties seem to be resorting to communal appeasement strategies for the May 31 bypolls in the Thrikkakkara constituency in Kochi.

In the latest instance, the Congress-led United Democratic Front, which had unleashed a campaign that the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front's candidate was a nominee of the Syro Malabar Church, later retracted from it as it hurt the sentiments of the church leadership.

The CPM is being widely accused of playing communal cards for having a priest on the dais when the party's candidate Jo Joseph, made his first appearance before the media.

The BJP also seems to be openly playing communal cards with party leaders stating that it would get the support of the Christian community by raising issues like 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad' as some bishops have been raising concerns over it.

Also read: AAP, T20 not contesting Kerala bypoll; BJP plans to gain from 'love jihad' campaigns

The Thrikkakkara constituency is estimated to have over 35 per cent Christian population, nearly 15 per cent Muslim and 50 per cent Hindu population.

Political analysts feel that the Congress's aim of triggering a campaign that the CPM's candidate was a church nominee was not only to put the secular credentials of the CPM under question but also to turn the Hindu voters against him.

However, two days later, the Congress state leadership retracted and stated that the party never alleged that Joseph was a church nominee. This seems to be a bid to avoid the wrath of the church leadership toward the Congress candidate, deceased MLA P T Thomas's wife Uma Thomas.

P T Thomas was not on good terms with the church leadership as his stand to implement the Madhav Gadgil Committee report on Western Ghats protection had not gone down well with them.

Political analyst Josukutty C A said that even as political parties speak highly of secular credentials, during elections, they try to appease the communities by often giving importance to communal equations. A large section of voters now cast votes as per their political choice and not as dictated by the community leaders, he said.

Meanwhile, the decision of the Kitex group-backed Twenty20 forum not to contest the by-poll triggered allegations of nexus with Congress to avoid a split in the anti-CPM votes.

The CPM camps were unleashing a campaign against the Congress for the alleged nexus with the Twenty20 group as deceased Congress MLA P T Thomas had openly raised serious allegations against the Kitex group.