BJP's Kerala Dream Halted: What's Next for the Saffron Party After Thiruvananthapuram Setback?
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit a roadblock in Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, after failing to secure a simple majority in a crucial by-election. The party lost the Vizhinjam ward bypoll, forcing it to reassess its strategy in the civic body. The BJP's candidate finished third, with UDF's KH Sudheer Khan winning the seat by 83 votes against LDF's N Noushad. The vote count stood at UDF: 2,902, LDF: 2,819, and BJP: 2,437. This loss is significant for the BJP, as it prevents the party from governing alone in the 101-member corporation. The BJP had stunned Kerala politics by emerging as the single-largest party in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, ending 45 years of uninterrupted Left rule. Despite the setback, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has emphasized that the party's ambitions in Kerala go far beyond this by-election. He views the local body win as a 'stepping stone' towards the party's long-term goal of forming a government in Kerala and eventually seeing a BJP Chief Minister in the state. The BJP has shown significant growth in Kerala, winning 50 wards in Thiruvananthapuram, retaining Palakkad, and securing a major Lok Sabha breakthrough. The party is now likely to focus on strengthening its grassroots presence across the state.
