After plotting his downfall, BJP extends hand of friendship to Mani

Kicking off political speculation about the party’s strategy in the 2016 Assembly elections, the BJP has announced its willingness to tie up with the KC(M), headed by KM Mani, who resigned as Finance Minister last week on bribery charges and for whose resignation the BJP had clamoured.

The Kerala Congress (Mani), which is backed by the influential Catholic clergy, has clarified that it does not intend to ally with the BJP. However, the BJP’s move has surprised political commentators, and understandably drew sharp reactions from other parties, particularly the CPI(M).

BJP State President V Muraleedharan told the media in Kozhikode on Monday that his party was willing to co-operate with the KC(M) at the local level. This would translate to mean that the saffron party hoped to rule Gram Panchayats and Municipalities where it had secured substantial seats, with the help of the KC(M). The latter, part of the ruling United Democratic Front, was the BJP’s rival in this month’s local body elections.

Muraleedharan asserted that though Mani had been accused of corruption, there was no problem in co-operating with the KC(M). He also said the BJP was open to ‘co-operation’ with any party except the CPI(M), the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League.

CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the move exposed the BJP’s ‘twin face’ and its opportunism. Its campaign against corruption was just a sham, he said. He wanted the BJP leader to apologise to the activists of Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the BJP, who suffered beatings at the hands of the police while campaigning for Mani’s resignation.

Early this year, both the LDF as well as the Yuva Morcha had laid siege to the Kerala Assembly to prevent Mani from presenting the State budget. Mani managed to present a part of the Budget, amid unprecedented chaos in the House.

A reluctant Mani was last week forced by the ruling coalition to resign following adverse comments by the Kerala High Court in the ‘bar bribery’ case. Mani is peeved at the UDF leaders, particularly those from the Congress, for pressing for his ouster.

BJP’s offer to the KC(M), currently the third largest partner in the UDF coalition, foll-ows its improved performance in last month’s local body elections in which it had had an informal alliance with the caste organisation, the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam of the Ezhavas.

Though its vote share has increased, the BJP has realised that without an alliance with other parties, either in the LDF or UDF, it cannot hope to open its account in the Assembly. The offer to the KC(M), a Christian party, assumes significance against this backdrop.