The Bharatiya Janata Party claims to have clinched a 'grand alliance' for the upcoming Assembly polls in Kerala that might upset the traditional and hitherto established ways of state's politics for all times to come. The party, so far marginalised in the state politics, claims to have tapped into influential OBC and SC caste formations apart from poaching some constituents of the UPA.

If BJP leaders, national as well as from state, are to be believed, the party has already clinched a deal with the backward caste Ezhavas who have so far been organised under the historical Shree Narayan Dharma Paripalan Yogam, popularly referred to as SNDP Yogam. BJP insiders told Mail Today that the Ezhava caste had decided to float a proper political front with which the BJP would enter into a political alliance.

"The Ezhavas have always been a big political force in Kerala and they constitute just over 20 per cent of the population. They have been the traditional voters of the Left, but now they are with the BJP," said a Kerala BJP functionary.

The next big achievement, claims the party, is their alliance with another SC group, the Pulayas, who are organised under the aegis of the Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS). "The KPMS has already thrown its weight behind the BJP in Kerala. The Pulayas were part of the state-wide yatra which was conducted by state president Kummanam Rajasekharan in January this year," the leader added.

"The Pulayas constitute nearly 8 per cent of the voters in Kerala," he added.

According to the party, Kerala Congress (Mani) led by former minister KM Mani, one of the major factions of Kerala Congress, too has shown interest in joining the BJP-led alliance. A senior BJP leader told Mail Today that some sort of understanding could be reached with Mani if his son could be granted a ministerial berth at the Centre.

The BJP leader pointed out the advantages that could accrue to the party in the state if Mani could be roped in the alliance: "Mani is a Catholic and the community constitutes a majority among Kerala Christians, dominating three out of the total 14 districts in the state. Also, the party would have vast resources at its disposal since the Catholic community also dominates the lobby of rubber plantation owners."

Another factor that could add to the equation is that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is an Orthodox Christian.

Last, but not the least, state unit president Rajsekharan too has added to the strength of the party. A veteran RSS activist and pro-Hindutva hardliner, he has emerged as the face of the Hindu rightwing in Kerala.

Rajsekharan comes from the Nair caste, another votebank the BJP aims to garner in the polls. He has had cordial relations with a spectrum of Hindu community organisations, including the SNDP Yogam and the Nair Service Society (NSS), which has added to his appeal.

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