Four lessons Kerala BJP must learn from Suresh Gopi
Before the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, this author had suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had the potential to win two Kerala constituencies — Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram. The party won the former and fell agonisingly short in the latter. For a party lacking representation in the Assembly, securing a seat in the Lok Sabha is truly remarkable.
Several factors have favoured the BJP in Thrissur, providing clear insights for the party to advance its growth in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls. In many respects, Suresh Gopi, the BJP candidate, himself played a pivotal role in the BJP's rise in Thrissur. The victory offers the party four significant lessons.
Persistence pays
Thrissur has been slow to develop a strong affinity for Gopi. Despite his stardom, he faced stiff competition in the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. While he significantly increased his vote share, he finished a distant third on both occasions. But he set his sights on Thrissur, and dedicated substantial time to studying the constituency up close.
In a similar situation, most other BJP candidates would be forced out of their constituencies. For instance, Sobha Surendran, a consistently performing candidate, is usually denied a second chance to contest from the same constituency.
Involve meaningfully
Like other politicians, Gopi also resolved to address several public concerns in his constituency; but unlike most, he tried to fulfil his promises, even personally. Even after losing the last Assembly election, he did not renege on his promise to donate money to renovate the Sakthan Market in his constituency.
While raising money at an individual level to solve public issues may not be feasible for most politicians, the BJP has not even attempted to solve such issues even in a political capacity. None of the issues the party takes up are resolved meaningfully.
Avoid controversies
Gopi’s growing acceptance worried his political rivals, leading them to create issues out of minor incidents. They even claimed that the golden crown he had personally offered to a church, contained no gold. From someone who has courted controversies for his public remarks, Gopi gradually learned to play down trivial allegations, and warned his constituents about his rivals’ attempts to take political gain.
BJP leaders in Kerala create fresh controversies frequently through untimely statements which would eventually backfire on them, such as the halal and the Ganapathivattam claims made by the party’s state chief K Surendran.
Position and communicate
For those disillusioned with the traditional political clashes between the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), Gopi slowly positioned himself before the electorate — especially women, young people, and apolitical first-time voters — as a strong third alternative. His close association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi even placed him as a potential ministerial candidate should the BJP retain power at the Centre.
The BJP often fails to prepare the land to project itself as a serious third option in Kerala. It sets ambitious targets but seldom works towards it. It doesn’t communicate with its voter categories, or tell them why they should vote for them.
The BJP has strong prospects in Kerala, but expect no overnight changes or magic. Its leadership should identify winnable seats, select the right candidates, and make them work for the people. For the BJP, the Thrissur win should be seen as an investment to propel state-wide growth. If the party can gain a dozen seats in the Assembly in 2026, it might even prevent the other two fronts from reaching an absolute majority. That will herald the party's definitive rise to dominance in Kerala’s politics.
(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.