With an eye on the influential Catholic vote bank of Central Travancore, a region in the midst of significant political churn, yet another political initiative with apparent leanings towards the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be taking shape in Kottayam.

Two years after a failed attempt to launch a political party, a group of former Kerala Congress leaders have joined hands to revive their plans, ostensibly with the backing of the BJP. The new movement, which has also garnered the support of a section of Catholic bishops, aims at resonating with the farming community of Central Travancore, which constitutes the core support base of the two major Kerala Congress (KC) factions.

As part of it, a farmers’ conference was held in Kottayam on Friday under the banner of the Kerala Farmers’ Federation. The federation is chaired by George J. Mathew, a former Kerala Congress chairman and former legislator from Kanjirappally. The event was organised with the support of P.M. Mathew, former legislator from Kaduthuruthy, and M.V. Mani. The trio is expected to address the media on Saturday to formally outline the objectives of their emerging movement.

A resolution passed at the conference has also authorised the leadership to “fight for change, address the needs of the people and take timely decisions and actions.”

Mum on a new party

Amidst the speculation, the leaders have remained guarded about the possibility of launching a new political party. Instead, they maintained that the Kerala Farmers’ Federation was established in 2016 with George J. Mathew as chairman with a commitment to protecting farmers’ rights and interests.

Mr. Mathew, on his part, declined to confirm any political ambitions but said more details would be revealed on Saturday. Notably, Major Archbishop Emeritus Mar George Cardinal Alencherry and Mar Mathew Arackal, former Bishop of Kanjirappally, were invited to the conference but did not attend.

BDJS and CASA

The presence of BDJS national president Thushar Vellappally at the event has further stoked speculation. Observers suggest the initiative may be aimed at mobilising BJP-aligned Christian support in a bid to eventually integrate into the NDA fold. The organisers are also said to be seeking support from Christian organisations such as Christian Association and Alliance For Social Action (CASA).

A similar attempt had been made in April 2023, when the National Progressive Party (NPP) was formally launched with V.V. Augustine as its chairman, Johnny Nellore as working chairman, and Mathew Stephen as general secretary. However, the party’s momentum waned quickly and Mr. Nellore stepped away from the project within a few months.