Thrissur Pooram row could take sheen off BJP's maiden victory in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: The ongoing controversy in Kerala over the disruption of the Thrissur Pooram festival just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls could take the sheen off BJP's much-hyped maiden victory in the Lok Sabha election in the southern state.

Actor-turned BJP leader and Union minister of state for petroleum and tourism Suresh Gopi had won the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 74,686 votes in the polling held on April 26. Just ahead of the polls, on April 20, the conduct of the famed Thrissur Pooram fireworks was disrupted due to excessive police controlling on the organisers.

The Congress had alleged earlier that the disruption of the temple festival led to a Hindu vote consolidation in favour of the BJP.

The fresh revelations by Congress that Additional DGP (law and order) M R Ajithkumar, who is said to be a Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's close confidant, had met RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on 2023 May 22 and BJP-RSS leader Ram Madhav on June 2, had further strengthened the allegations.

CPI, which is the second largest party in the ruling front, has also joined the chorus, especially since CPI leader V S Sunilkumar had lost to Suresh Gopi in Thrissur. Dissident left front MLA P V Anvar also alleged that Vijayan got the benefit of disrupting the Thrissur pooram.

Further aggravating the allegation, a video footage of Suresh Gopi reaching the pooram spot in an ambulance amidst the tight police bandobast, has also been doing the rounds on internet.

Even ahead of the polls there were rumours that there was an unholy electoral understanding between the CPI(M) and BJP top brasses for couple of seats including Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram, in view of a probe by central agencies into the gold and dollar smuggling allegations.

Congress has repeatedly asked why the central agencies were not taking any action against Vijayan despite several serious allegations against him even when the CMs of most non-BJP ruling states were facing action of central agencies.

BJP's prime focus in Kerala during this Lok Sabha election was also Thrissur. Ahead of the formal announcement of Suresh Gopi's candidature, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did a road show in Thrissur with Gopi. Modi even came down to attend Gopi's daughter's marriage, a privilege that hardly any other top BJP leaders in Kerala received.

"We did not win election by disrupting Thrissur Pooram. Those believing so can do so. We are now focused on winning the 2026 Assembly polls," BJP state president K Surendran said on Friday.