By Geetha Unnithan
Thiruvananthapuram: The irresponsible statements from a group of uncontrolled tongues are bringing disgrace to the party, and the neutral voters who had sympathy for the BJP could move away if this tendency goes unchecked. This sentiment captures the growing concern within and outside the saffron fold as the Kerala BJP unit grapples with self-inflicted wounds. It is a long-nurtured dream of the saffron brigade to capture political power in Kerala. Despite the BJP’s parent organization, the RSS, establishing a strong presence even in the remote villages of “God’s Own Country” over the past five to six decades—with the Sangh boasting over 7,000 regular shakhas (branches) in the state—the saffron party has struggled to make inroads in Kerala’s sun-drenched political landscape. Though it broke the jinx by winning an assembly seat in 2016 and a Lok Sabha seat in 2024, the BJP has yet to fully realize its ambition of shattering the Left-Congress duopoly.
In fact, the central leadership has been crafting tangible strategies, such as inducting Christian leaders like P.C. George and P.C. Thomas to bridge ties with the church—Kerala has a sizable Christian population of nearly 20%. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a fiery address in July 2025, declared that the 2026 assembly elections would be fought to install a BJP-NDA government in the state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. This isn’t mere rhetoric; it’s part of a broader saffron blueprint to capture Kerala’s 140 seats by 2036, transforming “God’s Own Country” into a Hindutva stronghold through targeted outreach, infrastructure promises, and alliances with Christian and Nair communities. Prime Minister Modi’s six visits to Kerala in 2024 alone, coupled with high-profile meetings with church leaders, underscore the top brass’s commitment.
Yet, as the national machinery revs up, the Kerala BJP unit seems intent on self-sabotage. Maverick leaders—charitably described as “unbridled” and less so as “motormouths”—are brewing a toxic mix of hate speeches, personal vendettas, and internal feuds that alienate voters and invite legal scrutiny. From death threats against opposition heavyweights to arrogant clashes with the press, these missteps threaten to turn the party’s meticulously laid plans into a farce. In a state where communal harmony is sacrosanct and secularism a badge of pride, such antics could doom the BJP’s decade-long Kerala conquest before it truly begins.
The Death Threat Disaster: When Words Turn to Bullets
The latest flashpoint erupted just days ago during a heated television debate on News18 Kerala. BJP state spokesperson Printo Mahadevan—once an ABVP activist—escalated rhetoric to outright incitement, declaring that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi “would be shot in the chest” if he dared to mimic a viral Gen Z-style protest from Nepal. The remark, laced with violent imagery, didn’t just shock viewers; it prompted swift backlash. Kerala Police registered an FIR against Mahadevan under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of criminal intimidation and promoting enmity. Congress leaders, including Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K. Sudhakaran, sent a letter to Amit Shah, decrying the threat as a “brazen act of incitement” and demanding immediate action—warning that inaction would imply BJP complicity in political violence.
Mahadevan later backpedaled, claiming his words were twisted in a “bigger conspiracy,” but the damage was irreversible. In a state still scarred by the 2021 assassination of RSS worker S. Sreenivasan and ongoing communal tensions, such threats reinforce the narrative of the BJP as an importer of North Indian divisiveness. Critics argue this isn’t an isolated slip; it’s symptomatic of a leadership cadre that prioritizes shock value over strategy, eroding the party’s painstaking efforts to rebrand as a moderate force in Kerala’s diverse electorate.
Suresh Gopi’s Silver Screen Swagger: Arrogance Meets the Spotlight
If Mahadevan’s outburst was a grenade tossed in a debate studio, Suresh Gopi’s controversies are a slow-burning fuse of celebrity ego clashing with political maturity. The actor-turned-MP from Thrissur, who scripted the BJP’s historic 2024 Lok Sabha breakthrough in Kerala, has become a lightning rod for accusations of arrogance. In November 2024, Gopi allegedly threatened a TV reporter probing his ministry’s handling of a local issue, prompting protests from the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ). The union lambasted his “arrogance,” a trait that “receives applause on the silver screen but has no place in public life.”
The saga continued into 2025. A viral Reddit thread in April mocked Gopi’s response to a Jabalpur-related controversy as “arrogant,” likening him to a cinematic anti-hero who confuses reel heroism with real governance. Even within the party, whispers of unease persist—state BJP chief K. Surendran had to defend Gopi in August 2025 against voter list tampering allegations, but the “elephant vs. jackals” analogy only amplified perceptions of top-down disdain. For a party courting Kerala’s youth and urban middle class, Gopi’s unfiltered bravado risks alienating the very demographics the BJP needs to flip seats in upcoming polls.
A Trail of FIRs: Hate Speech as BJP’s Kerala Signature
Suresh Gopi and Printo Mahadevan are mere symptoms of a deeper malaise. In 2025 alone, Kerala BJP leaders have accumulated multiple FIRs for hate speeches, turning courtrooms into unintended campaign venues. The poster child is P.C. George, the voluble former MLA who defected to the BJP in 2024 and quickly became its most litigious figure. In January, Erattupetta police filed charges against George for anti-Muslim remarks during a TV appearance, accusing him of inciting religious hatred. By February, the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail, emphasizing the need for “mandatory jail sentences” to deter such rhetoric, before he surrendered and secured interim relief.
George’s troubles didn’t end there. July saw a magistrate court order another FIR over similar communal barbs, while a March report highlighted a 74% national surge in hate speech from political echelons—with BJP figures accounting for over a fifth. These aren’t fringe voices; they’re frontline warriors whose words fuel protests and polarize voters in a state where minorities (Muslims at 27%, Christians at 18%) hold significant electoral sway. As one analyst noted, in Kerala, “hate speech isn’t just inflammatory—it’s electoral suicide.”
Internal Bickering: The Real Enemy Within
Compounding the external embarrassments is a cauldron of infighting that keeps the Kerala BJP leadership in perpetual damage control. January 2025 saw district president elections stalled by group rivalries; with factions loyal to outgoing chief S. Rajeev and rising star Rajeev Chandrasekhar trading barbs. By March, Chandrasekhar—a technocrat and former Union Minister—was appointed state president to “fix” the mess, but reports suggest his real test lies in quelling internal rifts rather than battling external foes.
An analysis in April attributed the discord to “not external opposition, but internal rifts,” with whispers of corruption allegations against figures like state general secretary MT Ramesh adding fuel. Even high-profile decisions, like backing the contentious Kinaloor AIIMS site in September, have sparked ire among local leaders, risking backlash from environmentalists and farmers alike.
The Lone Beacon: M.T. Ramesh’s Steady Hand
Amid this chaos, one name stands out as an exception: M.T. Ramesh, the BJP’s state general secretary who contested the Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat in 2024. While peers court controversy, Ramesh has maintained a low-key, policy-focused profile—welcoming initiatives like the AIIMS expansion in Kasaragod and demanding judicial probes into security lapses without descending into vitriol. Despite facing corruption mudslinging from ex-party insiders in late 2024, Ramesh has deflected with restraint, positioning himself as the party’s intellectual anchor. In a unit plagued by mavericks, his discipline offers a glimmer of hope, reminding us that the Kerala BJP could yet harness talent without self-immolation.
Harming the Saffron Swell
As 2036 looms—a milestone for the BJP’s pan-India dominance—Kerala’s chapter reads like a cautionary tale. The top brass’s vision of a lotus-blooming Thiruvananthapuram hinges on discipline, not drama. Yet, with leaders like Mahadevan, Gopi, and George dominating headlines for all the wrong reasons, the party risks confirming critics’ worst fears: that saffron expansion in the South is more bluster than blueprint. Internal bickering only amplifies the echo chamber, turning potential allies into adversaries.
For the BJP to realize its Kerala dream, it must rein in the mavericks—or risk watching their unbridled energy burn the house down. In a state that prizes wit over weapons, the real battle may be for hearts, not headlines. Will the leadership course-correct before 2026? Or will these loose cannons capsize the ship? Time, and the ballot, will tell.
