The BJP, struggling to get a mooring in Kerala, got a shot in the arm as a veteran leader of the Kerala Congress (a party representing the interests of the Church) joined the Hindutva party in New Delhi on Wednesday. George, a seven-time legislator of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and former chief whip during the UDF rule (2011-2016) was received to the party by union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V Muraleedharan, Prakash Javadekar MP, Anil Antony, national general secretary and Radhey Shyam Aggarwal MP.
The Pioneer had reported early last month that George was all set to join the BJP. A crusader against corruption and a fire brand leader, George was the first Christian leader to sound the alarm bell against Love Jihad and Narcotics Jihad which was later taken up by the spiritual leaders of the Catholic community to which he belongs.
He also merged the Janapaksham, a political outfit launched by him into the BJP. George’s son Shaun and the entire Janapaksham leaders too joined the BJP. “This decision is a fall out of our understanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only national leader who is working sincerely for the progress of India. More and more members of the Christian community will join the BJP in days to come,” said George after joining the BJP.
Both the CPI (M) and the Congress aided by Islamist forces had joined hands in the 2021 assembly polls to defeat George , in his eighth husting in the electoral battle and he lost the poll by a wafer thin majority. Having joined the Kerala Congress as a fiery student leader, George won seven successive elections to the assembly, a rare feat in a State like Kerala. George is joining the BJP at a time when the Marxists and Congress are blaming the BJP for the communal pogrom in Manipur.
“The people in Kerala are not aware of the complex reality of the caste politics in Manipur. The entire media has gone gaga over the embarrassment faced by the BJP due to the Manipur riots. The reality is entirely different and I myself will clear the apprehension in the minds of the community in Kerala,” George told The Pioneer.
Interestingly, there were suggestions from various Hindu outfits in Kerala to field George as a candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Pathanamthitta constituency.
George said there is no difference between the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. “Both the forces are the same and the dofference is only on their names. What they have been doing all these years was to cheat the people,” he said.
K T Paily, a former official of Indian Railways who is an active leader of the Catholic community, said George is a force to reckon with in Kerala politics. “But I am not sure about the surge in votes cast during the election. George commands respect all over the State,” said Paily.
The Christian Alliance for Social Action (CASA) welcomed George’s move to join the Hindutva party. “It will pay rich dividends and there is a possibility of the BJP opening its account in Kerala,” said Kevin Peter, president, CASA.
Father Shaiju Kurian, a priest of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and 47 families belonging to the sect had joined the BJP in December 2023, the first of its kind development in the State.`