The BJP in Kerala is adopting a dual strategy to bring the Christian leaders to the party fold ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. While one group of Christian leaders will be inducted directly in the BJP by giving, the other group will be made part of a proposed new party.

The news party, which is expected to get the support of various Christian churches, will be made part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Sources said former Pathanamthitta UDF district chairman and Kerala Congress (Joseph) leader Victor T Thomas will join the BJP. There are indications that the BJP has also held discussions with the former DCC president who recently resigned.

From the Congress Johny Nellore, who on Tuesday resigned from Kerala Congress (Joseph), will be part of the new party, which is likely to be named as NPP. Former Udumbanchola MLA Mathew Stephen, George G Mathew, and Joy Abraham, general secretary of Christian right-wing outfit Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) will be part of the new party. A section of the Catholic Congress and some heads of church are actively working for the formation of the new party.

It has been reported that the Central leadership of the BJP has long been  attempting  to form  a political  party backed by the  Church in Kerala. It has also been reported that  Assam chief minister Himanta Biswas Sarma and a  Keralite Bishop serving in the north-eastern states were also part of the unofficial discussions regarding the formation  of the party.

Union Minority Affairs Minister John Barla has already met several Christian church leaders in recent days. John Barla, himself a Christian, met Cardinal Mar George Alenchery, head of the Syro-Malabar Church at St Thomas Mount at Kakkanad  in Kochi on Tuesday morning.  He participated in the lunch hosted  by Thrissur Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Andrews.

Apart from bringing Christian leaders to the party, the BJP is aiming to bring ordinary people in the Christian community at the grassroots to the party. The party, particularly aiming to bring people who are closely related to Christian churches and active in parish committees to the BJP fold. The BJP is also targeting disgruntled workers and leaders of the Congress, Kerala Congress’ Mani and Joseph factions.

Earlier, when leaders from Christian community joined the BJP, the party failed to convert their arrival into votes, as the party leadership failed to strike a chord with the ordinary people in the community at the grassroots level. Taking note of this, the party is  now adopting a strategy to maintain close contact with the common people of the minority community  and to make inroads into their  areas.