Let Me Explain: How Kerala keeps not electing BJP

Imagine Kerala’s long coastline. The waves come and go, sometimes calm, sometimes rough.

For years, the BJP’s political tide barely touched this shore. Just a splash here and there. 

In all these years, just one MLA. One MP. 

But lately, the waves have begun to change direction. There’s no storm or flood, but a steady shift in currents.

Kerala is often held up as an example for its secular model. It’s a state where communities have lived side by side for centuries and where secular values are woven into everyday life.

Religion is part of daily life here, but it's rarely expressed through aggressive political mobilisation. And for decades, that unique culture kept the BJP at arm’s length.

But it’s changing.

While the BJP’s seat count has stayed close to zero, its vote share has been rising. We saw it in 2024 in Thrissur, where actor-politician Suresh Gopi won. We saw it in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha, where the BJP’s vote share climbed significantly.

These aren’t giant waves, but they’re unmistakable ripples. And it’s being shaped by many factors – national politics, local grievances, economic pressures, and identity anxieties. And finally, the layered, patient work of the Sangh Parivar.

So what made Kerala different? And what’s changing now?

Let me explain.

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