Kozhikode, Sept 10: The bypoll to the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala, scheduled on September 23, will mark a new beginning in state politics with the realignment of political forces, BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said today. "Till now, other parties have only been seeking BJP's support covertly while the candidature of former CPI(M) leader Viswanatha Menon, now contesting with the open support of BJP, in itself marks a new political beginning," he said.

Pillai was speaking after inaugurating the party's 12-day relay fast here demanding that government order a CBI probe into the Marad violence on May 2 which claimed nine lives. CPI(M)-led LDF was in 'chaos' after Menon chose to resign from the party and contest as a BJP-backed independent, while former Union Minister S Krishnakumar quitting the Congress to contest the polls (but eventually withdrew his nomination) had also shaken Congress-led UDF, he said.

Pillai pointed out that BJP, which has registered a steady increase by polling an overall 10.5 per cent in the last assembly elections, was growing as a major force in the state. Muslim League, although the second largest partner in ruling UDF, had never polled more than eight per cent votes in the state so far, he said

"BJP aims at improving its performance by securing at least 16 per cent of the total aggregate votes in the next elections," he added.

Bureau Report