Amit Shah has big plans; eyes Scheduled Caste vote bank

Thiruvananthapuram:  The BJP national leadership hopes to replicate its Uttar Pradesh success  in Kerala with caste and communal alliances and capture at least a dozen  seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.   BJP president Amit Shah will focus on improving the party's tally in the southern states,  and the state  leadership is trying for a Christian- scheduled caste-  Ezhava consolidation. Mr Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrested  control of  UP by flashing the ‘Modi brand’ and will try the trick in the south too where they have not had much success so far.

“The central leadership wants a consolidation of  Christians, scheduled castes and Ezhava votes  for the BJP.  Under the aegis of SC morcha, the party is  currently organising a yatra in the SC colonies,” said a BJP general secretary. With 3.3 lakh population in SC colonies, the party hopes to get  10- 12 percent vote share.  State president Kummanam Rajasekharan had been trying to bring the people behind  the land struggles  on a single platform.   Mr  Amit Shah will hold talks with  BDJS state president Tushar Vellapally and other leaders of NDA Kerala chapter soon to take them into confidence.    It may be recalled that Mr Modi had asked the BJP national council and executive meeting held in  Kozhikode last year  to win at least a dozen seats in the 2019  elections.