As the BJP has launched ‘Operation Kerala’ to bolster its strength in the state, the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s action against former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has triggered a political heat wave extending from Kerala to Delhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Operation Kerala” has begun. The party believes that as long as there is a triangular contest in Kerala and the Left’s presence remains intact, there will be no scope for the BJP. In two elections, the party has seen that its vote share does not go above 12 percent. While it did receive slightly more votes in the Lok Sabha elections, in the assembly elections, the people of Kerala are still sticking to the “revolving door politics” between the Congress and the CPM alliance.
The BJP is also aware that among the 55 percent Hindu voters of Kerala, the inclination of the majority is towards the Left, i.e., the CPM alliance.
That is why the CPM has been targeted under “Operation Kerala.” The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on the premises of Pinarayi Vijayan, the biggest leader of the CPM in the state and a two-time consecutive Chief Minister, is a signal of this. This matter is related to Vijayan’s daughter’s company. Earlier, allegations were made against Vijayan that he made his daughter Veena’s husband a minister in the state government. Then, the matter of payments made to Veena’s company without any work being done surfaced. If the Left weakens due to charges of nepotism and corruption, space will automatically be created for the BJP. It should be noted that the Left has suffered because of its focus on Hindu votes, especially by leaders like Vijayan. Christian and Muslim votes consolidated towards the Congress. If Hindu votes shift from the Left to the BJP, it will lead to a head-to-head contest between the BJP and the Congress, in which the BJP sees a possibility of winning.
A fascinating aspect of national politics is always a topic of discussion. On Delhi’s platforms, Congress and Left leaders are often seen holding hands. Big faces of the Left parties are seen clicking photos while smiling with Rahul Gandhi. But as soon as the geographical boundary changes and they reach Kerala, this political friendship immediately turns into bitter enmity. The latest case is the ED raid on the premises of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which has created a massive political earthquake in the state.
The raid was conducted by a central agency, so why is Rahul Gandhi the target of Vijayan?
Usually, the opposition holds Narendra Modi’s government at the Centre responsible for ED actions. Rahul Gandhi himself has been raising the issue of the misuse of central agencies firmly. But this time, the story is a bit different. Immediately after the central agency raided his premises, Pinarayi Vijayan opened a front against the Centre as well as directly against Rahul Gandhi. Vijayan has blamed Rahul Gandhi for this entire action.
He said that Rahul Gandhi was constantly asking in public meetings why raids were not being conducted at Vijayan’s house and why he was not being arrested. Taunting him, Vijayan said that Rahul Gandhi must have got great mental satisfaction from this raid. The Left leader alleges that it is the Congress and Rahul Gandhi who provoke the BJP government to take such actions.
Local politics and the ‘electoral thorn’ of Wayanad
The biggest reason for this intense confrontation is the ground-level politics of Kerala. Even though both parties may be part of the opposition alliance at the Centre, the Congress-led UDF and the Left’s LDF remain face-to-face in Kerala. When Rahul Gandhi decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Kerala’s Wayanad seat, the Left had been uneasy since then. Vijayan felt that Rahul was coming to Kerala and weakening his base. This is the reason why Vijayan had even said once that despite being a national leader, Rahul does not have as much understanding as a local Congress worker.
BJP’s B-Team’ vs ‘Victim card of corruption’
During the election atmosphere, Rahul Gandhi also cornered the Vijayan government. He alleged that there is an internal collusion between the forces attacking minorities across the country and the Left Front. Rahul directly termed Vijayan as the BJP’s ‘B-team’ and questioned his silence on corruption cases.
Now, the Congress has also counter-attacked these sharp attacks by Vijayan. Kerala Congress leaders say that the allegations of financial irregularities against Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter’s company (Exalogic Solutions) are completely legal. This investigation has also been approved by the court. The Congress alleges that when it comes to being caught in the monthly payment scam of his daughter’s company, Vijayan starts playing the victim card by using Rahul Gandhi’s name to save himself.
Analysis: The Shifting Political Landscape in Kerala
The current political landscape in Kerala is moving toward a significant transformation, with several key dimensions defining this shift:
BJP’s Strategy: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is adopting a ‘tactical shift’ in Kerala. By targeting the Left on issues of corruption and dynastic politics, they aim to attract Hindu voters. This move is designed to undermine the CPI(M) and is part of a broader strategy to establish a bipolar political framework (BJP vs. Congress) within the state.
Ideological Conflict: Despite being members of the ‘INDIA’ alliance in New Delhi, the Congress and the Left maintain a fierce rivalry within Kerala. This contradiction has exposed their duplicitous stance, raising serious questions about the credibility of both parties among the electorate.
Agencies and Politics: Chief Minister Vijayan’s targeting of Rahul Gandhi regarding Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids demonstrates that the Left perceives the Congress as a greater threat to its own vote bank, particularly in its attempts to retain its hold on Hindu voters.
Conclusion: The extent to which the BJP will succeed in dismantling Kerala’s traditional political structure will be determined by future electoral outcomes. Safeguarding their organizational bastions remains a significant challenge for the Left, while consolidating their position has become a major hurdle for the Congress.
