Kochi: Former Kerala Congress leader Victor T Thomas joined the BJP on Sunday, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-hyped visit to the city which is expected to switch the saffron party into the campaign mode ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Thomas recently quit the Kerala Congress, a prominent ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). He was the Pathanamthitta district president of the Kerala Congress and district convener of the UDF.
Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar, who is in charge of the party’s Kerala unit, welcomed Thomas to the party at its Ernakulam district office. BJP state president K Surendran was present at the event.
Thomas slammed the UDF in harsh words as he stepped into the BJP which has started a campaign to make inroads into the Christian vote base in Kerala. The BJP has been wholeheartedly welcoming dissenting Christian leaders from other parties even as meeting top clergymen in a bid to ensure the support of the community.
Thomas said he quit the UDF as he felt there is no place for those who work with sincerity. “Even those who are not qualified to contest in a panchayat election are seen competing to become candidates in the UDF,” he said. Thomas, just like Anil Antony who joined BJP after quitting Congress recently, showered praises on PM Modi. “I have complete faith in Narendra Modi who is leading a very strong government,” he said. Thomas said only BJP can ensure the comprehensive development of Kerala.
Invoking his former leader K M Mani, Thomas said he firmly believed in the latter’s theory that the states will be satisfied only when there is a strong government at the Centre.
The Kerala Congress faction founded by Mani, which has been a prominent ally of the UDF, is now a part of the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala.
Thomas is among a group of Kerala Congress leaders who quit the party in the recent days.
A few of them, led by Johny Nellore, on Saturday announced formation of a new party – the National Progressive Party. Though it claims to be an independent political outfit, speculations are rife that the party will be trying to get into the BJP-led alliance in the state.
