Christians, Hindus are victims of vote-bank politics: BJP

Thrissur Kerala, Jan 29 PTI Seeking to reach out toChristians ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls, the BJP onFriday alleged that the people belonging to the secondlargest minority community and the Hindus in the state werevictims of vote-bank politics.Such politics, the saffron party said, is being playedout by the Congress-led UDF and the CPIM-led LDF.The Christians and the people belonging to the majoritycommunity in Kerala are equally worried.

Thrissur (Kerala), Jan 29 (PTI): Seeking to reach out toChristians ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls, the BJP onFriday alleged that the people belonging to the secondlargest minority community and the Hindus in the state werevictims of vote-bank politics.

Such politics, the saffron party said, is being playedout by the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF.

''The Christians and the people belonging to the majoritycommunity in Kerala are equally worried. They are the victimsof the vote-bank politics based on religious communalism. TheBJP will try to address this problem,'' BJP state president KSurendran said at the party's state committee meeting heldhere.

His statement comes a week after three cardinals ofRoman Catholic Church, including two top priests from Kerala,met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, raisingissues being faced by the Christian faithfuls.

The issues included the one on disparities indistribution of minority funds and reservation to DalitChristians.

Earlier, the state BJP and Sangh Parivar outfits hadbacked the influential Syro-Malabar Church when it kicked upa debate over the alleged incidents of ''love jihad.'' Against the backdrop of central agencies' investigationinto the smuggling of gold and currencies allegedly throughdiplomatic channels, Surendran said the party would makecorruption as the main plank of its campaign for the Assemblypolls.

He hinted that the central agencies' probe is centredaround the Chief Minister, four Ministers and the AssemblySpeaker and their role would be revealed during theinvestigation.

Launching an attack on the state government overcorruption, Surendran alleged that the state protocoldepartment had provided special consideration for somenotorious foreign citizens and those accused ofsmuggling of gold and dollar.

The state is in the grip of corrupt politicians,Surendran alleged.

The BJP also attacked the Congress-led UDF over theissue of corruption.

Referring to the elevation of former Chief MinisterOommen Chandy as the leader of UDF's election campaign, hesaid with this decision of the Congress high command, peoplehave got an opportunity to discuss corruption during theprevious Congress-led government.

Now, the people have an opportunity to compare thecorruption during the previous UDF government and the presentLDF government, he said.

Claiming that the BJP could perform well in the recentlyheld civic polls, he said the party-led NDA has increased itsvotebase and that BJP is the one and only party which can nowtake on the ruling CPI(M).

In his address, BJP state in-charge C P Radhakrishnansaid the party is fighting for capturing power in theCommunist-ruled state.

If the BJP could oust the CPI(M) from power in Tripura,the same would happen in Kerala too, he said.

Referring to the stand of the state government onSabarimala women's entry issue, Radhakrishnan alleged thatthe CPI(M) was trying to destroy the culture and the customsofthe state.

Meanwhile, BJP state vice-president Sobha Surendran, whohad reportedly complained to the party's central leadershipabout the functioning style of the state leadership, skippedthe state committee meeting convened to discuss the mattersrelated to the Assembly polls.