Opinion

Kerala BJP in a state of rout

Internal dissent raises questions over the party’s direction in Kerala

September 28, 2026

Kerala BJP’s internal battle comes into the open

Even as the Islamists in Kerala, known by myriad names but with the same purpose of establishing a Caliphate, continue their activities, the BJP, which was expected to act as a barrier and protect Sanatana Dharma, gives the image of a divided house, with different leaders of the party pulling the Hindutva party in different directions.

The BJP in Kerala, led by business baron Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has become a butt of jokes in political circles as a satellite TV news channel owned by Chandrasekhar is at the forefront of belittling and humiliating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Though the second rung of leaders were informed about this paradox, they are reluctant to take it up with Chandrasekhar for fear of reprisal.
A party senior who is well known across Kerala told PGurus that he could not meet the president for the last three months because the latter meets even veteran leaders and office-bearers only after giving appointments. “A political party cannot be run like a corporate entity. Our party president represents the corporate world and is ignorant of the nitty-gritty of party politics,” said the senior leader.

Recently, Shone George, vice-president of the Kerala BJP, held a press meet and disclosed excerpts from the diaries of Veena Riyaz, daughter of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Sasidharan Kartha, owner of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd, a Kochi-based mining company. Kartha’s diary featured the name of V Muraleedharan, a top BJP leader in Kerala who was also a former Union minister. The faction owing allegiance to Muraleedharan took umbrage at Shone’s action, and Chandrasekhar censured him for not seeking the party’s permission before disclosing the names mentioned in Kartha’s diary.

Though a church-going Christian, Shone is favourably disposed to highlighting the ill-treatment being meted out to the Hindus by the CPI(M), the ruling Congress and Muslim League. The impasse over the disclosure made by Shone has given rise to strong speculation that the BJP is hand in glove with the CPI(M) and the Congress to save its leaders from the allegations that they have received kickbacks from Kartha’s company. Party insiders are unanimous in their view that Chandrasekhar would not be able to lead the party to any success. “This is the first time we are seeing a party president who does not have any contact with the people of Kerala. His own satellite news channel blacks out his statements and speeches, and this is a strange phenomenon,” said a party vice-president.

Though evangelist MPs like Anto Antony of the Congress have gone to town spreading all kinds of lies against the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Act 2026 and the freedom of religion Bill that bans religious conversion by force or coercion, the BJP leaders remain silent over the issue, and this has given credence to the doubts over Chandrasekhar’s illegal liaison with the Church and evangelists.

It is an open secret in the state that many top leaders of the BJP are being financed by Islamist leaders. Though unemployed and devoid of any known source of income, the Kerala BJP leaders own swanky and flashy high-end cars, and most of them live in palatial homes. This is being seen as the “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch your back” policy pursued by the party leaders and the secular brigade.

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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