Putting the issue of rubber back into the centre of Kerala politics, Thalassery Arch Bishop of Roman Catholic church, Mar Joseph Pamplani said if the government of India raises the price of rubber to Rs.300 per kilogram the church will help the Kerala BJP to get an MP of the party elected from the state.

In an apparent open admission that the Church has no issue in supporting BJP, if it supports rubber farmers, Bishop Pamplani said the farmers community in high range can relieve the Kerala BJP’s despair of not having its own MP from the state in the Lok Sabha, if the Union government raises the price of rubber to Rs 300 per kilogram.

“You announce the price of rubber at Rs 300 and buy rubber from farmers at that price… We will vote for you… This migrant community can take away the worry that you don’t have an MP from here,” Bishop Pamplani said while addressing a rally organised by the Catholic Farmers’ Conference at Alakkode in Kannur on Sunday.

The statement of the Bishop sent tremors in the political spheres in Kerala.

It has created concern in the CPI-M and the Congress in the state. While the CPI-M and Congress have come out against the statement, the BJP has welcomed it.

Responding to the Bishop’s statement, CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan said no such social engineering will have any impact in Kerala.

“Is rubber price the sole issue before the Christian community? How can some one urge Christians to vote for BJP, at a time when the party is hunting down the Christians in north Indian states?” Mr Govindan asked CPI-M leader and state local administration minister MB Rajesh expressed confidence that Christians won’t go along with the BJP, saying: “Christians do know the fox has never had a history of protecting the hen.” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the attitude of the Modi government towards farmers’ issues is well known to the people of the country. The statement came at a time when churches are being attacked in various part of the country, he added. Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan said that the Bishop’s statement was an emotional one and the statement came out of the grief of the rubber farmers. “Sangh Parivar organisations are attacking the Christian minority. The country is ruled by those who killed Stan Swamy in jail,” he said.

BJP state president K Surendran said the Bishop’s statement shows the change in church’s attitude towards BJP. Stating that the Bishop expressed the Church’s faith in the Narendra Modi government, Mr Surendran said the party will hold talks with rubber farmers and bring their issues with the Centre government and resolve the issues related to rubber price.