Thiruvananthapuram: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is anxious over the delay in announcing BJP candidates in Kerala. The party's ideological fountainhead fears that BJP may lag behind the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), the two major political rivals in the state, as campaigning has already commenced for the Lok Sabha elections. The RSS leaders from the state has conveyed their apprehension to BJP national president Amit Shah.
Voters in Kerala are set to cast their votes on April 23 and opinion polls predict the Congress-led UDF is set to corner a major chunk of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
The RSS is unhappy with the ongoing discussions to select the NDA candidates. It is perturbed over the delay in announcing candidates even as both the LDF and the UDF have announced theirs and have hit the campaign trail.
The RSS wanted all significant BJP leaders to contest from Kerala. The state BJP leadership is struggling to take advantage of favourable political opportunities including the row over Sabarimala. Delay in finalising the candidate list might squander its chances, it believes.
News of infighting among leaders for certain seats has created disillusionment among BJP and RSS cadres. Factional fight is likely to harm BJP's victory chances. The central leadership had suggested major changes in the draft submitted to it by the state leaders.
The RSS is learnt to have asked BJP leadership to take action urgently to catch up with LDF and UDF candidates who have gone much ahead in their campaigns. More cadres are sought for Thiruvananthapuram campaign to ensure Kummanam Rajasekharan’s victory.
