BJP’s Metro Man Sreedharan is Litmus Test for India’s Most Literate State
How BJP can make bigger history than in Bengal even if it loses in Kerala
KS Muralidharan
BJP is poised to make history in Bengal with a remarkable win in the assembly elections. But it can make bigger history of sorts even if it loses in Kerala.
In fact, Kerala offers a truly unique opportunity for the BJP to expose the secularists — and its embedded journalists in the secular media — once and for all, with no ifs and buts, and certainly no Rajdeep Sardesai-style “equivalence”.
Consider: The BJP in 2016 in Kerala got around 11% votes and is expected to rise to around 15%.
Now imagine a scenario where both the leading contenders, the LDF and the Congress-led UDF, both fall short of the majority mark of 71 by 5–10 seats or so and the BJP bags those 5–10 seats.
So the only way either of the two can form the government will be with the support of the BJP.
For sure, there are various ways to manipulate the mandate like MLAs defecting by resigning their seats and shifting their allegiance. But such a naked grab for power would make it difficult if not impossible for them to get re-elected.
Secondly, some of the MLAs may be “managed” by getting them to abstain from voting in the new assembly, but here too such MLAs will stand exposed and also will be terribly insecure of getting elected the next time by the people.
So the only option is for the Left and the Congress-led Front to come together to form the government.
That is because the BJP of course will not offer support to either of the two.
The alternative of President’s Rule will be worse than losing power for both the Left and the Congress.
If elections are held again in the absence of no party willing to form the government, it would be disastrous for both the Left and the Congress, as they are sure to do worse and the BJP is certain to do better and improve its numerical strength.
So, left with no option whatsoever, the Left and the Congress will join hands like they have done repeatedly at the Centre as well as in other States outside Kerala, but this time in Kerala.
Yes, it is political hara-kiri for both, but attempted suicide is better than actual death, for they can still live another day, and then think of how to fool people yet again like before.
If this happens, they will stand thoroughly and indefensibly exposed and they will have no place to hide — at long last in Kerala, their last frontier where they both play their bogus games every five years, fighting each other, while embracing and saving each other’s face outside the State, and at the Centre too.
India’s most literate State can no more pretend that the left and the Congress fronts are actually opponents, and come together only when their “secular idea of India” is endangered.
Follow Tripura’s example
Until the Original Miracle in 2018 in Tripura, it was accepted that when you don’t have a choice, you have to vote to choose the lesser evil.
The thinking in general was, oh, the BJP cannot win in X State because it lacks strong leadership and cadre at State level. The common examples given was Tamil Nadu, Bengal (till 2019), Andhra Pradesh and of course, Kerala.
Well, Tripura, one of the smallest States in the country, can particularly show the way for God’s Own Country, since both have a long shared history of being ruled by the communists, and also institutionalizing violence as a tool to silence their political opponents.
BJP won Tripura hands down, without any leadership, cadre. If it had anything at all, it was its lotus symbol.
So Kerala has a precedent for it to follow — one that has never happened in Indian political history, but which happened in a similarly communist-ruled state.
A never-before Incentive to make its own destiny
It also has an incentive — one that it never had before in its political history.
Metro Man Sreedharan can rewrite its history, transform its future, and make Kerala, in the real sense of the word, god’s own country.
And if he is contesting on a BJP ticket, it should only be seen as a value-addition to the BJP — and you don’t have to be a “literate” voter to say this.
Right your Political Literacy
In fact, Kerala’s political choices till now only show it is far from politically literate.
A recent opinion poll done by the Indian Express in Kerala reveals a majority of the people polled not warming up to the BJP, despite Metro Man Seedharan.
Their reasons are absolutely illiterate.
Like, “Sreedharan is good, but why join the BJP?”
Well, should he have joined Congress or the Left who never give a ticket to such deserving, distinguished and visionary people, whereas he is the most likely CM face of the BJP?
Like, “Oh, a good man like Sreedharan should be above politics”
Pure baloney. Should we keep all such good men out of politics so that gold can be smuggled from the chief minister’s office?
Or, “A great man like Sreedharan should not confine himself to one party as he belongs to all parties”.
So Sreedharan belongs to the Indian Union Muslim League? Or to Owaisi? Rahul Gandhi?
It is with such “literate” thinking that a one time murder accused went on to become the chief minister of the State.
If Metro Man Sreedharan loses, Kerala does not only lose, but it can never live down the shame of letting down a great tried, tested and trusted performer and one who has worked with all political parties throughout his entire career, and is a proven non-partisan.
Even if Sreedharan wins, and BJP fails to make any significant mark in the State, Kerala would have passed up a historic opportunity to make its own destiny that no other State was lucky to get.
Let us hope that even if does not have the political nous to do a Tripura, it will at least give the BJP enough heft in the assembly that will compel both the left and the Congress to come together — and thus put an end to willingly shut its eyes to the drama that they come together only when their “secular idea of India” is endangered.