Following the BJP’s landslide victory in Madhya Pradesh , Chattisgarh and Rajasthan, the party Kerala unit has decided to revive its efforts to reach out the Christian community in the state, which faced road blocks following the Manipur riots

The BJP state leadership has decided to launch a 10-day-long Sneha Yathra, which seeks to win over the community by explaining its position on various issues, including the Manipur violence.

The programme, which is slated to begin on December 20, envisages the party workers and leadership to reach out to all Christian homes across the state. The BJP workers and leders will be visiting all Christian homes from December 20 to 30 to pass on the Christmas – Easter message of the Prime Minister.

The BJP also plans to bring in its lawmakers from Northeast to lend credence to the campaign. It also counts on leveraging the growing disaffection within the church over the pro-Palestine stance by both the Left Democratic Front and United Democratic Front to its end.

After the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has been trying to reach out to the Christian community, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met the bishops of various denominations during his visit to the state in April this year.The BJP has been getting some positive signals from the Church with Thalassery Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany offering to help the saffron party to open its account in Kerala in the 2024 parliament elections, if the Centre increases the rubber price procurement price to Rs. 300 per kg. However, the church started distancing itself from the party after the Manipur riots. The Manipur violence, marked by attacks on churches, coupled with the alleged inaction of BJP governments at the state level and at the Centre in containing the riot, had cast a shadow.

Besides, the Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress’ landslide victory in Karnataka assembly polls created an impression that the grand old party may return to power at the Centre in 2024. But the victory in three Hindi heartland states has reaffirmed the BJP’s dominance, which the party state leadership thinks may inspire the Christian community to rethink. BJP leaders also think that the fact that the party was able to increase its strength in the recent Assembly polls in the Christian dominated Mizoram state, which is bordering Manipur, may also influence the Church’s attitude to the BJP.

In this connection, it may be noted that Malankara Orthodox Church’s Nilakkal diocese metropolitan Joshua Mar Nikodimos and secretary Fr Shaiju Kurian, St Thomas Evangelical Church of India Fellowship president Bishop George Eapen, Kerala Council of Churches general secretary Prakash P Thomas and former Poonjar MLA P C George had attended the anti-terror meeting organised by the BJP at Tiruvalla on November 24.

“The Christian community has realised the truth behind Manipur riots and have accepted the political reality. We expect a positive change in the approach of the community during the 2024 elections,” said Minority Morcha national vice president Noble Mathew.

BJP leaders are of the view that the Catholic church view on the Hamas- Israel war is akin to their stance and the church has come out against the stance of the ruling CPI-M –led LDF and opposition Congress-led UDF.

The Catholic Church has expressed concern over political Islamists using the Israel-Palestine issue to their advantage in Kerala. “We fear that even the secular parties here are competing with each other to blame only Israel, portraying the brutal attack by the terrorist organisation Hamas on a country, where life is going on peacefully, as an act of defence,” noted the bishop on his social media page,” said bishop Thomas Tharayil, Auxiliary Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Changanassery.

The Catholic Church regards the growing anti-Israel sentiment in Kerala as a manifestation of political Islam deepening its clout over the secular political fronts here. BJP leaders feel that this stance of the Catholic church will act as a glue between the saffron party and the Catholic church . It is learnt that the BJP leaders are now holding talks with Christian leaders.