In an exclusive interview with PTI before embarking on the campaign trail for the Kerala polls, Tharoor emphasised that the contest will primarily be between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF).
Also Read: Seven in 10 Kerala MLAs face criminal charges; over half are crorepatis: ADR
“It is not a triangular contest, for the BJP is a zero-seat party in the assembly. From zero, if they go to one or two or three, they will be extremely proud and happy, and they will congratulate themselves on a great win. That is the situation the BJP is in,” Tharoor said.
“They (BJP) are not even likely to have a big enough footprint to be a kingmaker in the state. It is going to be between the LDF and the UDF, there are no doubts about that,” the Thiruvanathapuram MP said.
However, he acknowledged that, according to current polling data, the competition appears to be fairly tight, which means that every seat and every vote is crucial. “Therefore, we are not discounting the BJP and being complacent about it,” he said.
The Congress does not see the BJP as a threat to the government or as a potential party of governance in Kerala, the former Union minister stated. “The best they can do, as I say, is to break their duck,” he said.Asked if the BJP is still a marginal player in Kerala politics, Tharoor said, “Yes, that is right. It takes a certain percentage of votes to win a seat and they have gone in my time in politics, which is now just over 17 years, from being a six per cent party to being a 12-13 per cent party which is not a bad thing and certainly in the Lok Sabha elections, they have gone to as high as 19 per cent but when it comes to state elections, they again fall to about 12-13 per cent.”
He noted that if the BJP can improve its standing, it will likely be a slow and gradual process, but it is improbable that they will reach the necessary figures to win seats.
“You cannot win a seat anywhere without at least 35 per cent of the vote in that seat. There are only one or two places in Kerala, two or three tops, where they could even be in contention to get that kind of number,” he argued.
Also Read: Election Commission orders transfer of officials in Kerala ahead of Assembly polls
In the 2021 Assembly elections in Kerala, the incumbent LDF retained power with 99 seats, gaining eight more than in the previous election. This marked the first time an alliance won consecutive terms in the state since 1977.
The UDF won 41 seats, which was six fewer than before, although their vote share increased. The BJP had drawn a blank.
However, in the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP managed to win one seat from Kerala with Suresh Gopi winning the Thrissur seat.
The Assembly election for 140 seats will be held in Kerala on April 9.
