The traditional vote-bases of Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress have “completely collapsed” due to the “worst kind of appeasement politics” pursued by these parties to win over extremist elements in the state, claims senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar.

In an interview Javadekar, who is the BJP’s Kerala in-charge, alleged that the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-headed LDF were fighting the polls solely on the agenda of extremist elements, focusing on issues like CAA and Palestine instead of prioritising a development agenda.

Due to this, the other sections of society, considered to be the backbone of the Left party and the Congress, are “very much angry” with them, he claimed.

“Kerala election has entered a very exciting phase of electioneering. I say this because many earlier equations are collapsing. Earlier, it was Muslims and Christians for the UDF while Ezhavas and other Hindus for the CPI(M). But it has completely collapsed,” Javadekar claimed.

 He said the BJP is fighting the polls solely on the development agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 “The CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF—both are not talking about the development of India. They are focusing on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). They are discussing Palestine. Today, secularism is Sarv Dharma Sama Bhavana, respect for all religions. But instead, they are preaching…Their agenda is completely focused on competitive appeasement of extremist elements,” he alleged.

Javadekar, who has been camping in Kerala for the last several months for building the party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, claimed the ban imposed on the Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) by the BJP-led NDA government was welcomed by an entire section of Kerala society.

 And the Christians are now upset with the Congress after the SDPI, the political arm of PFI, extended its support to the grand old party in the Lok Sabha polls, “and they are now coming with Narendra Modi-ji,” he said.

 “The Ezhava community is very much angry with the CPI(M) because it has started the worst kind of appeasement of extremist elements like PFI. Their whole agenda is that extremist elements’ agenda. What are they talking about? They are not talking about the development of Kerala,” Javadekar alleged.

 The former union minister further said the competitive appeasement of extremist elements practiced by the CPI(M) is a real trigger for Christians also to distance themselves from the ruling party.

 And the Ezhava community and other sections, who traditionally voted for the CPI(M), are now considering voting for BJP because Modi has helped them, Javadekar said.

The former Union Information and Broadcasting Minister criticised the stand taken by the CPI(M) and the Congress on telecasting the controversial movie “The Kerala Story” by various Christian groups in the state, alleging these parties were intervening in the personal freedom of the people and were again merely offering “lip service” to extremist elements.

 The Sudipto Sen-directed “The Kerala Story”, which hit theatres last year, tells the story of a group of women from Kerala who were forced to convert to Islam and join terror outfit ISIS.

 Javadekar further said all sections in Kerala, particularly the Christian community, are happy with the steps taken by the Modi government like banning PFI, working against terrorism, condemning the first attack by Hamas militants on Israeli citizens and condemning terror attack in Russia.

The former union minister also claimed that the Christian community is coming closer to the BJP and will vote for the party, as “they know that Rahul Gandhi is not going to become the prime minister and the Congress has no future.”

 Asked about the violence in Manipur and the Christian community’s concern over it, Javadekar said it was not a Hindu-Christian fight but a conflict between Kukkis and Meitis—two tribal communities. He accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of “unleashing a misinformation campaign” about it in Kerala.

 Listing the benefits extended to people by the BJP government, Javadekar said, “Modiji doesn’t discriminate,” while the LDF and the UDF choose their loyalists, favourites, and cadres for extending benefits.

He said all sections of Kerala society, including Muslims and Christians, are happy with the Modi government because of the development works undertaken by it in the state, including the introduction of Vande Bharat trains and the rapid completion of National Highways.

 In reaching out to the families of expatriates, he noted that Indians living abroad are very happy because India’s stature has risen in geopolitics due to PM Modi’s diplomacy. He also recalled the missions undertaken by the Modi government to rescue priests, nurses, and students stranded in conflict zones like Yemen, Iraq, and Ukraine.

“So, therefore, it is an exciting phase of the election. We are making a big impact, and people will truly understand on June 4 (the day the votes are counted),” he said.