BJP looks to Christian votes in Kanyakumari

BJP leaders say Radhakrishnan’s personal rapport with the Christians would help the party win.

Nagercoil:  If Christians in Kanyakumari, who form almost half of the electorate, vote for three different Christian candidates here, BJP's state president Pon. Radhakrishnan will have a cakewalk to victory.

BJP fielding a person shaped by Hindutva in this constituency, where Christians make up 44 per cent of its total population, attracts political attention. Christians as a whole form about six per cent of Tamil Nadu’s population.

Christian candidates fielded by the other major parties— AIADMK (John Thangam), DMK (F.M. Rajarathnam) and the CPI (M) (A.V. Bellarmine) can result in division of Christian votes to ensure a cakewalk for Mr. Radhakrishnan.

The Congress nominee H. Vasant Kumar, brother of former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Kumari Ananthan, and anti-nuke activist S.P. Udayakumar on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party are also in the fray.

Another factor that adds political color to this constituency is that Radhakrishnan is likely to handle a relatively influential portfolio this time if the BJP comes to power. That would help the constituency, feel a section of the voters here.

When Radhakrishnan was the Minister of State for Youth Affairs in the Union Cabinet headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee, his efforts to establish a ‘Youth Village’ of the Sports Authority of India in Kanyakumari district was then well received by the public.

But his efforts never took off as suitable land for this ambitious project could not be identified then and hence the anxious wait continues.

BJP leaders say Radhakrishnan’s personal rapport with the Christians would help the party win.

“The DMK, during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, impressed upon the church leaders to pave way for consolidation of Christian votes that went against Ponnar. We don’t expect that to happen again, as his personal relationship with the Christians will ensure his thumping victory this time,” says a senior leader of the BJP’s district unit while admitting that attempts were being made once again to consolidate Christian votes on religious grounds.

Source: The Hindu