Will Modi's Kerala visits make a difference?

In the bipolar politics of Kerala, the BJP has, so far, remained an untouchable. But the two recent visits of Modi seems to have made some difference. It now hopes to end its electoral drought. Ramesh Babu reports.

State: Kerala
Best poll performance:
Lok Sabha: Never won
Assembly: Never won

In the bipolar politics of Kerala, the BJP has, so far, remained an untouchable. But the two recent visits of Modi seems to have made some difference. It now hopes to end its electoral drought.

It hopes to get support from the Nair Service Society, a social outfit of upper-caste Nairs, and the SNDP, an outfit of lower-caste Ezhavas, who have uneasy relations with the Congress. “The rickety vehicle (the state unit) is well-oiled now,” a party functionary said after Modi’s two-hour brainstorming with office-bearers in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

He asked the state leaders to identify priorities and use the social media to reach out to youngsters. Though the party’s vote percentage generally varied between 8% and 12%, it is planning to concentrate more on the five Lok Sabha seats (of the 20 in the state) where it can make some impact.