Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists will take out protest marches to panchayats on Friday seeking the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy over the solar scam.
BJP State president V. Muraleedharan announced this at a press conference here on Tuesday after a two-day State-level leadership meet.
The BJP will hold protest meetings in panchayats from September 1 to 7 over the government’s alleged failure in controlling price rise. The BJP also demanded the rollback of jacked-up electricity tariffs.
A meeting of the party State committee on August 26 will chalk out the further course of action.
Campaign
‘‘BJP activists will be involved in a massive Lok Sabha election campaign spanning 200 days. The BJP will have a sustained campaign in all the constituencies,’’ he said.
BJP State leaders will take part in the campaign at local bodies between September 1 and 20. Party national leaders will take part in the campaign to be carried out between September 20 and October 2 at different levels. BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu is expected to reach Kochi on September 2.
‘‘The BJP’s vote share will increase in the Lok Sabha elections. In the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, the BJP will give its rival candidates a run for their money,’’ he said.
Asked if minority communities in Kerala would favour a party led by Narendra Modi, Mr. Muraleedharan said, ‘‘if 25 per cent of Muslims in Gujarat voted for Mr. Modi, their counterparts in Kerala, who are tuned to the national spirit, will follow suit. Mr. Modi’s statesmanship cannot be ignored. Some leaders in both the UDF and the LDF have spoken in his support. I am sure there will be a wave in Kerala in favour of Mr. Modi.’’ ‘‘As we have seen in the past, the CPI(M) may support the Congress at the national level after the elections,’’ he added.
Asked to comment on the criticism that he had sidelined loyalists of party leader P.K. Krishnadas, Mr. Muraleedharan said, ‘‘contrary to media reports, there is no groupism in the party. A section of the media have portrayed me as an autocrat. Autocracy is not possible in a democratic party such as BJP.’’
