Kochi: Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will land in Kerala on August 22 to review the party’s readiness for the upcoming local body elections. The visit follows up on his July 12 initiatives in Thiruvananthapuram, with a high-level leadership meet in Kochi set to outline the BJP’s 100-day action plan ahead of the polls.
However, internal discussions at a recent core committee meeting in Kochi revealed divisions over the party’s handling of the controversial arrest of nuns in Chhattisgarh. Some leaders argued that the state unit’s swift intervention alienated segments of its traditional voter base, while others criticised the public claim of Shah’s direct involvement in the matter — a statement they said fuelled unnecessary misunderstandings.
The leadership, however, largely backed the intervention, but voiced concern over MP Suresh Gopi’s silence, which they felt had left the party vulnerable to criticism. The prevailing consensus was clear: the BJP should stand solidly behind Suresh Gopi as it navigates the controversy and heads into the crucial local body polls.
