To Win Beyond the Vindhyas

Voting patterns in Kerala reveal a gradual impact of cultural Hindutva on the state's electoral landscape

- Shahina K K

The lively Shakthan Thampuran Market, adjacent to the private bus stand in the heart of Thrissur town, has come to life, serving as a prelude to a parliamentary spectacle. The Shakthan market is the most densely-populated locale in Thrissur town where the BJP is mobilising its full might for electoral victory, keeping the actor-turned-politician, Suresh Gopi, in the fray. Thrissur is one of the top five constituencies that the BJP is fighting to win in the next general elections. Amidst the crisscrossing pedestrians, the un-rhythmic hum of buses navigating the stand and the vibrant street vendors, the market is an eventful place, a favourite spot for politicians with electoral aspirations, transforming into a hub of political activity, anticipating the unfolding drama of the elections.

The local BJP leaders claim that, as a Rajya Sabha member, Gopi aimed to modernise the market. However, the corporation led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is alleged to have obstructed his efforts. Accor­ding to Reghunath, one of the BJP conveners in the constituency, “Gopi intended to allocate Rs 1 crore for the market’s modernisation, and he did spend a portion of it, but political adversaries created hindrances.”