Bjp fields advocate mohan george for nilambur bypoll - the statesman

Ending weeks of uncertainty, the BJP leadership on Sunday announced Advocate Mohan George as its candidate for the Nilambur by-election to be held on June 19. The BJP state leadership, which

had initially termed the by-election at fag end of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government’s tenure politically inconsequential, later poached Mohan George from the Kerala Congress (Joseph)

and fielded from Nilambur with an eye on Christian votes. Advertisement Advocate Mohan George, a native of Chungathara in Nilambur, was Kerala Congress’ (Joseph) former Malappuram district

president. He was the former general secretary of the Kerala Students’ Congress, student wing of Kerala Congress, Kerala Youth Front, youth-wing of the Kerala Congress, Mar Thoma Sabha

council member and Mar Thoma college council member. He also acted as a vice-president at the Chungathara Mar Thoma Church, YMCA Chungathara. Advertisement The BJP leadership chose to pick

the candidate from the Christian community in an attempt to split a chunk of Christian votes. The community makes up for about 12 per cent of the total votes in the constituency. The saffron

party hopes to attract community votes in the aftermath of the human-wildlife conflict and the Munambam Waqf land issue. The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of PV Anvar,

LDF-backed MLA, who resigned in January after making several allegations against the Left government in the state, including claims of RSS influence in the home department and the framing of

Muslim youth in false cases. The Nilambur bypoll has much political significance as it is a precursor to the next year’s state assembly elections. It will test the popularity of the current

government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Advertisement