O Rajagopal, who led BJP's most impressive electoral fight in 2004 General Election in Thiruvananthapuram, has returned to his homeland.
The party has fielded former minister O Rajagopal.
PALAKKAD: The BJP seeks to enter Fortress Kerala through the border constituency of Palakkad. Former Union Minister of State O Rajagopal, who led BJP's most impressive electoral fight in 2004 General Election in Thiruvananthapuram, has returned to his homeland.
BJP is still the untouchable in Kerala's polity, which accommodates more than a dozen parties in rival fronts. CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front and Congress-led United Democratic Front have always kept a safe distance from the BJP and accused each other of warming up to the communal party.
Rajagopal's work as Minister of State for Railways paid off when he improved BJP's tally in Thiruvananthapuram to 2,28,052 in 2004. BJP got 29.86% vote share, while LDF got 37.45% and UDF 30.30. But in next year's byelection, BJP's share dipped to 4.83% when CK Padmanabhan secured only 36,690 votes. BJP bases its newfound confidence in 2005 civic polls results, where it emerged as the single largest party in Palakkad municipality .
"There have been many political changes since 2001. Debacles of both the ruling and opposition fronts will favour BJP. Here I am on home turf," he told DNA .
BJP's main poll plank is fundamentalism. "Minority appeasement by both the fronts has created public revulsion. There is a feeling that only BJP can fight challenges to nation's integrity," he said.
Both the LDF and UDF candidates, however, refuse to acknowledge BJP as a serious contender. CPI (M)'s KK Divakaran laughs off comments on a three-cornered fight in Palakkad, while AV Gopinath claims he will repeat the Congress victory.
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