BJP Wooing Christians? Modi Meets Church Leaders in Kerala
The Catholic Church representatives told media that they held political discussions with the Prime Minister.
As a few Christian leaders met PM Narendra Modi in Kozhikode on Saturday night , there were murmurs that the meeting had political ramifications.
Kozhikode archdiocese Bishop Varghese Chakkalakkal, Thamarassery diocese chancellor Abraham Kavilpuredam and a few other church representatives met the PM at a guesthouse in the district.
The Catholic Church representatives reportedly discussed inflation in rubber prices, the Kastoorirangan issue, problems faced by coastal area residents and the stray dog menace in Kerala.
They told the media that they also had political discussions with the Prime Minister.
Earlier in the council meet, there were talks about extending the party support to Christian communities too. So, some of the reports assumed that this visit would have political implications in the future.
The council had reportedly discussed getting Christian vote share. The BJP had earlier tried to ally with the KM Mani led Kerala Congress (M).
In the meeting, the party leaders raised the necessity to woo Christian voters to establish a BJP stronghold in Kerala.
Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj heading the delegation to the Vatican for the canonisation of Mother Teresa, was also part of BJP’s efforts to gain the Church’s trust.
