Thiruvananthapuram, April 7 (AHN) As Kerala’s high-decibel election campaign drew to a close on Tuesday, State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar struck a characteristically sharp note on social media, blending cultural reference with political messaging.

“In Keralam, the end of campaigning is marked by organising a #KotiKalasham on the last evening. Today was that day,” he wrote.

He added a pointed ideological swipe: “There are many differences between BJP Keralam and CPIM Kerala. But here’s one more, our flags celebrate great Indian Chatrapathi Shivaji, and Marxists have to borrow a foreigner (Che) as their icon.”

The post, coming at the precise moment the campaign curtain fell, reflected the BJP’s attempt to sharpen ideological contrasts even as it pushes for electoral relevance in a state long dominated by two rival fronts.

Even as the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left lock horns in a high-stakes contest, each claiming momentum is firmly on its side, the BJP is striving not merely to reopen its account in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, but to secure multiple seats and position itself as a credible third force challenging the state’s entrenched bipolar politics.

Nemom, once the BJP’s lone foothold in Kerala, has evolved into a symbolic battleground.

The party’s breakthrough came in 2016 when veteran leader O. Rajagopal scripted history with a landmark victory.

But the narrative flipped in 2021, when V. Sivankutty of the CPI(M) reclaimed the seat in a tightly contested triangular fight.

Sivankutty is now seeking a second consecutive term, setting the stage for yet another intense contest.

Chandrasekhar’s early announcement of his candidature well before the formal election schedule was widely read as a calculated move, signalling intent and urgency within the BJP ranks.

His campaign has consistently attempted to frame Nemom as the launch pad for a broader saffron resurgence in the state.

The BJP’s electoral trajectory in Kerala presents a mixed picture.

While it emerged runner-up in nine constituencies in 2021, its vote share has shown fluctuations, rising in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls before dipping slightly in the 2025 local body elections.

Against this backdrop, Nemom assumes outsized importance, with the BJP hoping to convert incremental gains into a decisive breakthrough.