<p>A devastating boat accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura has left at least 10 people dead and several others missing after a vessel carrying 25–30 pilgrims capsized in the Yamuna River near Keshighat on Friday (April 10). Rescue teams are racing against time as fears grow for those still unaccounted for.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The incident triggered chaos among passengers when the overcrowded boat overturned near a pontoon bridge in Vrindavan, a major pilgrimage hub. Initial reports indicate that the vessel may have collided with the bridge, leading to the incident.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Mathura DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey, speaking to ANI, said the accident occurred at around 3:15 PM when the boat, carrying more passengers than its capacity, lost balance after reportedly hitting the pontoon bridge.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>“Ten bodies have been recovered so far. Fire Services, Police teams, local divers and boatmen are actively engaged in rescue operations. NDRF and SDRF teams are also being deployed to strengthen the search efforts,” he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Officials said several passengers managed to swim to safety, while others were rescued by locals who rushed to the spot immediately after the incident. However, the exact number of missing persons remains unclear, prompting an extensive search operation along the river stretch.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/major-spy-network-busted-delhi-police-arrest-11-in-isi-linked-espionage-case-1775822420707"><strong>Major spy network busted: Delhi Police arrest 11 in ISI-linked espionage case</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br>Authorities have also begun preliminary inquiries to determine lapses in safety protocols, including overloading and adherence to navigation norms.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, calling the tragedy “heart-rending.” He directed officials to ensure swift rescue and relief operations and proper medical care for the injured.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences, stating he was deeply pained by the mishap and assured that the local administration is providing all possible assistance to affected families.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Deeply pained by the mishap due to the capsizing of a boat in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. My condolences to those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is assisting those affected," the Prime Minister wrote on X.&nbsp;</p>

The incident triggered chaos among passengers when the overcrowded boat overturned near a pontoon bridge in Vrindavan, a major pilgrimage hub. Initial reports indicate that the vessel may have collided with the bridge, leading to the incident.

A devastating boat accident in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura has left at least 10 people dead and several others missing after a vessel carrying 25–30 pilgrims capsized in the Yamuna River near Keshighat on Friday (April 10). Rescue teams are racing against time as fears grow for those still unaccounted for. The incident triggered chaos among passengers when the overcrowded boat overturned near a pontoon bridge in Vrindavan, a major pilgrimage hub. Initial reports indicate that the vessel may have collided with the bridge, leading to the incident. Mathura DIG Shailesh Kumar Pandey, speaking to ANI, said the accident occurred at around 3:15 PM when the boat, carrying more passengers than its capacity, lost balance after reportedly hitting the pontoon bridge. “Ten bodies have been recovered so far. Fire Services, Police teams, local divers and boatmen are actively engaged in rescue operations. NDRF and SDRF teams are also being deployed to strengthen the search efforts,” he said. Officials said several passengers managed to swim to safety, while others were rescued by locals who rushed to the spot immediately after the incident. However, the exact number of missing persons remains unclear, prompting an extensive search operation along the river stretch. Also Read: Major spy network busted: Delhi Police arrest 11 in ISI-linked espionage case Authorities have also begun preliminary inquiries to determine lapses in safety protocols, including overloading and adherence to navigation norms. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, calling the tragedy “heart-rending.” He directed officials to ensure swift rescue and relief operations and proper medical care for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences, stating he was deeply pained by the mishap and assured that the local administration is providing all possible assistance to affected families. "Deeply pained by the mishap due to the capsizing of a boat in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. My condolences to those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is assisting those affected," the Prime Minister wrote on X.

<p>The incident triggered chaos among passengers when the overcrowded boat overturned near a pontoon bridge in Vrindavan, a major pilgrimage hub. Initial reports indicate that the vessel may have collided with the bridge, leading to the incident.</p>

Mathura boat tragedy: 10 dead, several missing after vessel capsizes in Yamuna

<p>Eleven people, including three children, were killed and four others injured after an SUV lost control and fell into the Saryu Canal in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district. The vehicle, carrying 15 people, was on its way to the Pirthvinath Temple when the accident occurred near the Moorganj police station on the Seehgaon-Kharagoopur road in Gonda. Local residents informed the police about the accident. The bodies were recovered from the canal, and the deceased have been identified.</p><p>Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Local police station in-charge KG Rao informed that 11 bodies have been recovered from the canal. Four people have been rescued safely.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed district administration officials to provide immediate medical care to the injured at the hospital. CM Yogi has announced financial aid of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased.</p>

<p>“The loss of life in the unfortunate accident in the district of Gonda is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the grief-stricken families. Instructions have been given to provide financial assistance of Rs 5-5 lakh to the kin of those who lost their lives in this accident, and to the district administration officials to immediately take the injured to the hospital for their proper treatment. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that the departed souls attain salvation, the bereaved families find the strength to bear this immense sorrow, and the injured recover swiftly. Om Shanti!,” CM Yogi posted on X.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Pm Modi said in a post on X, “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to an accident in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the mishap. May the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000.”</p>

The vehicle, carrying 15 people, was on its way to the Pirthvinath Temple when the accident occurred near the Moorganj police station on the Seehgaon-Kharagoopur road in Gonda. 11 bodies were recovered from the canal, while four people were rescued safely.

Eleven people, including three children, were killed and four others injured after an SUV lost control and fell into the Saryu Canal in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district. The vehicle, carrying 15 people, was on its way to the Pirthvinath Temple when the accident occurred near the Moorganj police station on the Seehgaon-Kharagoopur road in Gonda. Local residents informed the police about the accident. The bodies were recovered from the canal, and the deceased have been identified. Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. Local police station in-charge KG Rao informed that 11 bodies have been recovered from the canal. Four people have been rescued safely. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed district administration officials to provide immediate medical care to the injured at the hospital. CM Yogi has announced financial aid of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased.

<p>The vehicle, carrying 15 people, was on its way to the Pirthvinath Temple when the accident occurred near the Moorganj police station on the Seehgaon-Kharagoopur road in Gonda. 11 bodies were recovered from the canal, while four people were rescued safely.</p>

3 children among 11 pilgrims killed as SUV plunges into canal in UP’s Gonda

<p>Ayodhya witnessed the second Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram temple presided over by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Pran Pratishtha will mark the installation of the idol of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and other deities on the first floor of the Ram Janma Bhumi Complex.&nbsp;</p><p>The event organised by the Anjaneya Sewa Trust was part of the three-day celebration starting on June 3, running till June 5, which was also the 53rd birthday of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.&nbsp;</p><p>The consecration rituals commenced at 11 am with Vedic chanting and havan. It was described by Shashikant Maharaj, president of Anjani Seva Sansthan.&nbsp;</p><p>The idols and the throne were sculpted from white marble in Jaipur, Rajasthan and were donned with designed crowns, bejewelled belts, embroidered robes, and fabrics embedded with zari and precious stones and all of them designed by the renowned designer Manish Tiwari. The temple walls were sculpted with intricate designs of various depictions of Hindu deities<strong>.</strong></p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath offers prayers at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya<br><br>(Source: ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YogiAdityanath?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YogiAdityanath</a> <a href="https://t.co/PHBPFk2DRm">pic.twitter.com/PHBPFk2DRm</a></p>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1930506556367646755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>Only a limited number of visitors are allowed in the first floor. In addition to Ram Darbar, seven other temples within the complex underwent consecration. The second floor will feature a display of the Ramayana in multiple languages, including its oldest known version. The ocassion was commemorated with the distribution of 62,000 boxes among devotees. Elaborate security arrangements were in place, with CRPF, SSF, and PAC personnel ensuring the safety of the devotees.</p><p>PM Modi inaugurated the Ram Mandir on January 22, 2024 marking a significant milestone in for the Hindu nationalists. The site hold immense cultural and reliogious significance to Hindus.&nbsp;</p>

UP CM Yogi Adityanath presided over the second Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram temple on June 5, which is also his 53rd birth anniversary.

Ayodhya witnessed the second Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram temple presided over by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Pran Pratishtha will mark the installation of the idol of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and other deities on the first floor of the Ram Janma Bhumi Complex. The event organised by the Anjaneya Sewa Trust was part of the three-day celebration starting on June 3, running till June 5, which was also the 53rd birthday of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The consecration rituals commenced at 11 am with Vedic chanting and havan. It was described by Shashikant Maharaj, president of Anjani Seva Sansthan. The idols and the throne were sculpted from white marble in Jaipur, Rajasthan and were donned with designed crowns, bejewelled belts, embroidered robes, and fabrics embedded with zari and precious stones and all of them designed by the renowned designer Manish Tiwari. The temple walls were sculpted with intricate designs of various depictions of Hindu deities.

<p>UP CM Yogi Adityanath presided over the second Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Darbar in Ayodhya's Ram temple on June 5, which is also his 53rd birth anniversary.</p>

UP CM Yogi Adityanath leads the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Darbar in Ram Mandir on his brithday

<p>BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday visited Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming legislative council polls in the state and meet the party's 'sulking' alliance partners.</p>

<p>The BJP national president, who took a day's off from the Karnataka assembly campaign, is understood to have taken a look at the names of probable party candidates for the legislative council polls.</p>

<p>The elections to the 13 seats will be held on April 26 with the ruling BJP being certain of winning at least 11 seats, going by its brute majority in the state legislative assembly.</p>

<p>Shah began his tour by garlanding the statue of Jyotibha Phule, sending a message that the saffron party did not want to keep the Dalits at an arms distance at a time when the Lok Sabha polls were barely a few months away.</p>

<p>"With party MPs Savitribai Phoole, Ashok Dohrey, Chhotelal, Yashwant Singh virtually raising a banner of revolt against Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath, Shah had a long discussion with the chief minister at the latter's 5 Kalidas Marg residence to assuage their hurt sentiments. The parliamentarians had written about their discontent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," a senior party leader said.</p>

<p>UP deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey were also present during the discussion, he said.</p>

<p>The party leader said the Lok Sabha bypoll debacle of Gorakhpur and Phulpur also figured in the meeting.</p>

<p>The outburst of the four parliamentarians and another BJP MP Udit Raj came at a time when the country witnessed a public outcry against the Supreme Court's order on the SC/ST Act, which the Dalit leaders said was an attempt to "dilute" the law.</p>

<p>After facing strident criticism from the Opposition on Dalit issues, the BJP is also grappling with a rising voice of discontent among its own MPs belonging to the Scheduled Castes in Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>Lok Sabha members from Etawah and Nagina, Ashok Kumar Dohrey and Yashwant Singh respectively, are the latest to join their Dalit colleagues from the party to criticise the UP government.</p>

<p>In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dohrey had alleged that the Dalits and tribals across the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh, were being framed by the police in false cases after the protests, leading to growing insecurity among them.</p>

<p>Yashwant Singh, meanwhile, had reportedly said that nothing had been done for Dalits in the last four years.</p>

<p>Party insiders also said that the BJP's sulking ally, SBSP leader O P Rajbhar, who is also a cabinet minister, presented his case before Shah.</p>

<p>Rajbhar told PTI, "I raised the issue of quota within quota for the most backward classes. Apart from this, discrepancies pertaining to ration cards, housing, toilets, pensions and scholarship were also discussed.</p>

<p>Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has four MLAs in the state assembly. He had threatened to boycott last month's Rajya Sabha biennial election.</p>

<p>Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Patel also met the BJP president.</p>

<p>"The meeting with the BJP chief was held in a very cordial atmosphere. We spoke for adequate representation of Dalits and backward classes at police stations and Tehsil offices, and we were told that our demands will be looked into," he said.</p>


The BJP national president, who took a day's off from the Karnataka assembly campaign, is understood to have taken a look at the names of probable party candidates for the legislative council polls

BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday visited Uttar Pradesh to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming legislative council polls in the state and meet the party's 'sulking' alliance partners. The BJP national president, who took a day's off from the Karnataka assembly campaign, is understood to have taken a look at the names of probable party candidates for the legislative council polls. The elections to the 13 seats will be held on April 26 with the ruling BJP being certain of winning at least 11 seats, going by its brute majority in the state legislative assembly. Shah began his tour by garlanding the statue of Jyotibha Phule, sending a message that the saffron party did not want to keep the Dalits at an arms distance at a time when the Lok Sabha polls were barely a few months away. "With party MPs Savitribai Phoole, Ashok Dohrey, Chhotelal, Yashwant Singh virtually raising a banner of revolt against Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath, Shah had a long discussion with the chief minister at the latter's 5 Kalidas Marg residence to assuage their hurt sentiments. The parliamentarians had written about their discontent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," a senior party leader said. UP deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey were also present during the discussion, he said. The party leader said the Lok Sabha bypoll debacle of Gorakhpur and Phulpur also figured in the meeting. The outburst of the four parliamentarians and another BJP MP Udit Raj came at a time when the country witnessed a public outcry against the Supreme Court's order on the SC/ST Act, which the Dalit leaders said was an attempt to "dilute" the law. After facing strident criticism from the Opposition on Dalit issues, the BJP is also grappling with a rising voice of discontent among its own MPs belonging to the Scheduled Castes in Uttar Pradesh. Lok Sabha members from Etawah and Nagina, Ashok Kumar Dohrey and Yashwant Singh respectively, are the latest to join their Dalit colleagues from the party to criticise the UP government. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dohrey had alleged that the Dalits and tribals across the country, especially in Uttar Pradesh, were being framed by the police in false cases after the protests, leading to growing insecurity among them. Yashwant Singh, meanwhile, had reportedly said that nothing had been done for Dalits in the last four years. Party insiders also said that the BJP's sulking ally, SBSP leader O P Rajbhar, who is also a cabinet minister, presented his case before Shah. Rajbhar told PTI, "I raised the issue of quota within quota for the most backward classes. Apart from this, discrepancies pertaining to ration cards, housing, toilets, pensions and scholarship were also discussed. Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has four MLAs in the state assembly. He had threatened to boycott last month's Rajya Sabha biennial election. Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Patel also met the BJP president. "The meeting with the BJP chief was held in a very cordial atmosphere. We spoke for adequate representation of Dalits and backward classes at police stations and Tehsil offices, and we were told that our demands will be looked into," he said.

Uttar Pradesh: Amit Shah meets BJP's 'sulking' alliance partners

<p>Spurred by the spate of recent electoral victories, the Bharatiya Janata Party has become audaciously ambitious. It has begun to not just enter enemy territory with new-found confidence and aggression but also march into enemy strongholds within that forbidden territory.</p>

<p>On October 3, party president Amit Shah launched the Jan Raksha Yatra (March for People&rsquo;s Protection) in the Marxist bastion of Kerala &mdash; and from Kannur district which has been the centre of political violence. If the BJP&rsquo;s opponents thought this was another symbolic show to remind the people of the party&rsquo;s presence in this southern state, and no more, they were soon disabused of the notion when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived on wednesday to participate in the high-profile event.</p>

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<h5>Amit Shah claimed that more than 84 BJP-RSS workers had been killed in Kannur alone since 2001 by Left-supported individuals and organisations.</h5>
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<p>The message is clear. The BJP will play every card to enhance its footprint in Kerala. If the politics of polarisation needs to be resorted to, so be it. But polarisation does not happen in a vacuum; a context is necessary. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) rule has created a fertile ground for deep disaffection among large sections of the populace in the state and the BJP (along with the RSS which has had a strong presence for years) is set to exploit the situation.</p>

<p>Amit Shah claimed that more than 84 BJP-RSS workers had been killed in Kannur alone since 2001 by Left-supported individuals and organisations. One can quibble over the figure or the counter-claim that right-wing activists too have participated in political violence. But there cannot be a denial of the ground reality that the major victims have been the Rightists.</p>

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<h5>The Jan Raksha Yatra is arguably the BJP&rsquo;s most determined effort so far in Kerala.</h5>
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<p>The BJP believes that by ratcheting up public sentiment against such killings and other forms of violence, it can eventually create a conducive electoral environment in its favour. That is to be seen; for now, State Assembly elections are far away. But the Lok Sabha poll will be held in less than two years and the party hopes to harvest some advantage from its counter-aggression. To that end, the Jan Raksha Yatra is, arguably, the BJP&rsquo;s most determined effort so far in Kerala.</p>

<p>The Marxists have been dismissive of their opponent&rsquo;s drive, and they have been especially critical of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister&rsquo;s presence, advising him to mend governance in his home state before condemning the Left rule in Kerala. But there is no doubt that the Left is worried.</p>

<p>Unlike the BJP which is ruling most parts of the country either on its own or with the help of allies, the Left Front, and especially the CPI (M), is facing an existential crisis. It has been driven out from its one-time stronghold, West Bengal, by Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s Trinamool Congress. This was bad enough, but worse has followed. For all practical purposes, it&rsquo;s not even the main opposition there; the BJP has occupied that spot. Given that it has been marginalised in a state which it once ruled for three uninterrupted decades, the CPI (M)&rsquo;s salvation lies in Kerala where, in any case, it cannot presume invincibility since the Congress has been breathing down its neck. But the Congress is a friendly opposition when compared to the BJP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BJP&rsquo;s game plan is simple enough. Exploit the anger among the people over political violence against its people and the larger Sangh family, attribute such violence to the Marxists&rsquo; ideology of intolerance, link the incidents to minority appeasement politics of the Left, and arouse passions in the name of majority-victimhood. The more it can do this the more it would push the Left into the anti-majority-community trap. Yogi Adityanath is a perfect candidate to further this strategy in the deep south. He is charismatic and a crowd-puller. It helps that he is also considered a &lsquo;Hindu mascot&rsquo;.</p>

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<h5>If the BJP manages to enhance its presence in Kerala, it will be as much due to its perseverance as it will be on account of the Marxists&rsquo; obstinacy to change with the times.&nbsp;</h5>
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<p>There is something to be said in favour of striking when the iron is hot. Not only is the CPI (M) battling for political relevance, but it has also been facing embarrassment from within. A gentleman named Ritabrata Banerjee has been doing his bit in this regard. Once the blue-eyed boy of the Marxists and a Rajya Sabha MP, the highly visible Banerjee was expelled from the CPI (M) last month for &ldquo;grave anti-party activities&rdquo;. He claimed to have fallen foul with the senior leadership after he began to speak out in party forums against the &lsquo;Kannur cabal&rsquo; comprising among others, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.</p>

<p>In interviews to television channels, Banerjee gleefully tore into the Marxists, saying that he had been targeted by the party leaders for, among other things, saying &ldquo;Bharat Mata ki Jai&rdquo;. He added that certain party leaders whose wish prevailed had problems with his lifestyle &mdash; including the apple watch he wore and the foreign trips he undertook!</p>

<p>There is of course little need to make a martyr out of him or take all that he has said as unadulterated truth. Nonetheless, he seems to have underlined the basic problems the Marxists are confronted with, and are increasingly failing to effectively address: That the CPI (M) has lost its connection with the aspirations and demands of the new voter who not just abhors retributive politics but also frowns at dated ideological positions and defers with the party on issues of &lsquo;nationalism&rsquo;. If the BJP manages to enhance its presence in Kerala, it will be as much due to its perseverance as it will be on account of the Marxists&rsquo; obstinacy to change with the times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are two primary reasons for the BJP&rsquo;s focus on Kerala. The first is simply that it&rsquo;s a hard nut to crack &mdash; and Amit Shah enjoys nothing better than meeting such challenges head-on &mdash; even if it entails the use of techniques in the book and outside of it. In southern India, the party has a fighting chance in Karnataka where the Assembly election is due next year. It rules in alliance in Andhra Pradesh, and is contemplating various combinations to unlock Tamil Nadu. But whereas it&rsquo;s at the mercy of regional allies, both current and potential, to be relevant elsewhere in the south, in Kerala it hopes to be a dominant player, even if it stitches deals with regional outfits.</p>

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<h5>BJP may yet have a long road to traverse in Kerala.</h5>
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<p>The second reason stems from its own electoral performance in the past few years. In the 2016 Assembly election, the BJP-led NDA received over 14 per cent of the votes; it won one seat; and finished second in six others. Compare these to the five per cent vote-share in 2001, under five per cent in 2006, six per cent in 2011 &mdash; and a little less than 11 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, and the cause for the BJP&rsquo;s optimism becomes obvious. A CSDS-Lokniti survey done for a leading national daily soon after the last Assembly poll informed that the BJP had cut into the support base of both the Left and the Congress. Interestingly, the party also managed to win over a small segment of the Christian votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While these should cheer, and have cheered, the Rightist party and its supporters, the BJP may yet have a long road to traverse in Kerala. The moot question is: Will the party resort to dangerous social divisions to succeed electorally or moderate its stance and bank on inclusivity?</p>


Amit Shah comes up with a master plan to enhance BJP's dominance in Kerala

Spurred by the spate of recent electoral victories, the Bharatiya Janata Party has become audaciously ambitious. It has begun to not just enter enemy territory with new-found confidence and aggression but also march into enemy strongholds within that forbidden territory. On October 3, party president Amit Shah launched the Jan Raksha Yatra (March for People’s Protection) in the Marxist bastion of Kerala — and from Kannur district which has been the centre of political violence. If the BJP’s opponents thought this was another symbolic show to remind the people of the party’s presence in this southern state, and no more, they were soon disabused of the notion when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived on wednesday to participate in the high-profile event. Amit Shah claimed that more than 84 BJP-RSS workers had been killed in Kannur alone since 2001 by Left-supported individuals and organisations. × The message is clear. The BJP will play every card to enhance its footprint in Kerala. If the politics of polarisation needs to be resorted to, so be it. But polarisation does not happen in a vacuum; a context is necessary. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) rule has created a fertile ground for deep disaffection among large sections of the populace in the state and the BJP (along with the RSS which has had a strong presence for years) is set to exploit the situation. Amit Shah claimed that more than 84 BJP-RSS workers had been killed in Kannur alone since 2001 by Left-supported individuals and organisations. One can quibble over the figure or the counter-claim that right-wing activists too have participated in political violence. But there cannot be a denial of the ground reality that the major victims have been the Rightists. The Jan Raksha Yatra is arguably the BJP’s most determined effort so far in Kerala. × The BJP believes that by ratcheting up public sentiment against such killings and other forms of violence, it can eventually create a conducive electoral environment in its favour. That is to be seen; for now, State Assembly elections are far away. But the Lok Sabha poll will be held in less than two years and the party hopes to harvest some advantage from its counter-aggression. To that end, the Jan Raksha Yatra is, arguably, the BJP’s most determined effort so far in Kerala. The Marxists have been dismissive of their opponent’s drive, and they have been especially critical of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s presence, advising him to mend governance in his home state before condemning the Left rule in Kerala. But there is no doubt that the Left is worried. Unlike the BJP which is ruling most parts of the country either on its own or with the help of allies, the Left Front, and especially the CPI (M), is facing an existential crisis. It has been driven out from its one-time stronghold, West Bengal, by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. This was bad enough, but worse has followed. For all practical purposes, it’s not even the main opposition there; the BJP has occupied that spot. Given that it has been marginalised in a state which it once ruled for three uninterrupted decades, the CPI (M)’s salvation lies in Kerala where, in any case, it cannot presume invincibility since the Congress has been breathing down its neck. But the Congress is a friendly opposition when compared to the BJP. The BJP’s game plan is simple enough. Exploit the anger among the people over political violence against its people and the larger Sangh family, attribute such violence to the Marxists’ ideology of intolerance, link the incidents to minority appeasement politics of the Left, and arouse passions in the name of majority-victimhood. The more it can do this the more it would push the Left into the anti-majority-community trap. Yogi Adityanath is a perfect candidate to further this strategy in the deep south. He is charismatic and a crowd-puller. It helps that he is also considered a ‘Hindu mascot’. If the BJP manages to enhance its presence in Kerala, it will be as much due to its perseverance as it will be on account of the Marxists’ obstinacy to change with the times. × There is something to be said in favour of striking when the iron is hot. Not only is the CPI (M) battling for political relevance, but it has also been facing embarrassment from within. A gentleman named Ritabrata Banerjee has been doing his bit in this regard. Once the blue-eyed boy of the Marxists and a Rajya Sabha MP, the highly visible Banerjee was expelled from the CPI (M) last month for “grave anti-party activities”. He claimed to have fallen foul with the senior leadership after he began to speak out in party forums against the ‘Kannur cabal’ comprising among others, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and senior leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. In interviews to television channels, Banerjee gleefully tore into the Marxists, saying that he had been targeted by the party leaders for, among other things, saying “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. He added that certain party leaders whose wish prevailed had problems with his lifestyle — including the apple watch he wore and the foreign trips he undertook! There is of course little need to make a martyr out of him or take all that he has said as unadulterated truth. Nonetheless, he seems to have underlined the basic problems the Marxists are confronted with, and are increasingly failing to effectively address: That the CPI (M) has lost its connection with the aspirations and demands of the new voter who not just abhors retributive politics but also frowns at dated ideological positions and defers with the party on issues of ‘nationalism’. If the BJP manages to enhance its presence in Kerala, it will be as much due to its perseverance as it will be on account of the Marxists’ obstinacy to change with the times. There are two primary reasons for the BJP’s focus on Kerala. The first is simply that it’s a hard nut to crack — and Amit Shah enjoys nothing better than meeting such challenges head-on — even if it entails the use of techniques in the book and outside of it. In southern India, the party has a fighting chance in Karnataka where the Assembly election is due next year. It rules in alliance in Andhra Pradesh, and is contemplating various combinations to unlock Tamil Nadu. But whereas it’s at the mercy of regional allies, both current and potential, to be relevant elsewhere in the south, in Kerala it hopes to be a dominant player, even if it stitches deals with regional outfits. BJP may yet have a long road to traverse in Kerala. × The second reason stems from its own electoral performance in the past few years. In the 2016 Assembly election, the BJP-led NDA received over 14 per cent of the votes; it won one seat; and finished second in six others. Compare these to the five per cent vote-share in 2001, under five per cent in 2006, six per cent in 2011 — and a little less than 11 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, and the cause for the BJP’s optimism becomes obvious. A CSDS-Lokniti survey done for a leading national daily soon after the last Assembly poll informed that the BJP had cut into the support base of both the Left and the Congress. Interestingly, the party also managed to win over a small segment of the Christian votes. While these should cheer, and have cheered, the Rightist party and its supporters, the BJP may yet have a long road to traverse in Kerala. The moot question is: Will the party resort to dangerous social divisions to succeed electorally or moderate its stance and bank on inclusivity?

BJP ambitious to gain majority in CPIM's Kerala

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BJP ambitious to gain majority in CPIM's Kerala