State BJP, Sangh Parivar divided over the arrest of nuns

EVEN as the state BJP has been trying to contain the damage over the arrest of Malayali nuns in Chhattisgarh, differences have cropped up between the state unit and Sangh Parivar, with the latter strongly coming out against Rajeev Chandrasekhar's statement giving a clean chit to the nuns.

- K S SREEJITH @T'Puram

With the crucial 2026 assembly elections approaching, the BJP is using all the tricks up its sleeve to wriggle out of the situation with minimal political backlash as both the UDF and LDF have taken up the issue.

Though the BJP has sent its general secretary Anoop Antony, who has a good rapport with national Sangh Parivar leaders, to Chhattisgarh, it now knows that nothing more can be done till bail is granted to the nuns.

The BJP is facing its worst dilemma with core Sangh Parivar organisations toughening their stand against the arrested nuns and Rajeev Chandrasekhar's statement supporting them.

"Before the judiciary and police come to a conclusion, any statement issued by anyone exonerating the nuns is an injustice to the victims," state president of Hindu Aikya Vedi, R V Babu, told TNIE.