Thiruvananthapuram: The Lok Sabha Elections 2019 was a grand affair in Kerala this time around. The decision by Rahul Gandhi to contest in Wayanad and his visits to the state thereof indubitably brought the southern state to the limelight.
The frequent visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah to the state also shows that the party was serious in making its mark in the state despite its less than 4 per cent share in the Lok Sabha.
Though it failed to open its account in Kerala despite the extensive campaign, the BJP may not abondon the state just yet. At least some of the BJP leaders from Kerala are likely to find themselves in the central government's ministry despite their failure to replicate the national trend.
At the forefront we have none other than, Kummanam Rajasekharan, who gave up his governorship in Mizoram to contest the Lok Sabha election.
Three Rajya Sabha members-former BJP State President V Muraleedharan, Union Minister Alphonse Kannanthanam and Actor turned politician Suresh Gopi-also have good chances to make it to the central ministry. While Muraleedharan did not contest the Lok Sabha polls, his role as a prominent leader in the state gives him a chance.
Kannanthanam may expect to remain a part of the Modi government in its second term. The fact that he remains a loyalist to the party and the prime minister himself, is likely to retain his spot in the party's good books and the central ministry.
The party's state outlets had projected Kummanam as a prospective minister expecting his victory. Some say he might still get the top spot despite his overwhelming defeat to Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram constituency.
But will the central leadership penalise the state leadership’s failure to secure at least one seat in Kerala? One shall find out in the next few days.