Kochi: BJP, which delivered a sterling performance in the Tripunithura constituency in the last civic polls, has thrown up a surprise by fielding Prof. Thuravoor Viswambharan. By fielding him, the saffron party eyes non–BJP votes including writers and cultural personalities.
Being a royal town with rich cultural heritage, observers feel, a prominent figure like him will be the BJP's best bet.
He is a renowned Vedic scholar, social worker, teacher and writer who served as a professor of Malayalam at Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, for more than 25 years. Currently, he is the president of Tapasya Kala Sahithya Vedi.
Prof Viswambharan is a nominee of the RSS, which earlier suggested J. Nandakumar, a strong Sangh leader. Filmmaker Major Ravi’s name was also doing rounds.
The BJP district leadership was forced to dump Nandakumar from the list following stiff opposition from local party leaders and workers.
BJP is now the principal opposition party in Tripunithura Municipality with 13 seats as against 11 won by the UDF - a sharp fall from its 2010 tally of 25.
The saffron party could win six seats in the town area - three wrested from the LDF, two from the UDF and one held by an independent.
The party is hopeful of sustaining the shift in voter loyalty in those divisions which were once strongholds of LDF and UDF.
