Thiruvanthapuram, April 13: Union Minister M. Venkaiah idu on Thursday said churches in Kerala should not indulge in politics. idu, who is on a visit here, touched upon various issues during a chat with reporters.
“Churches should concentrate on spiritual issues and not indulge in politics,” said idu in reply to a question if churches in Kerala are an impediment to the growth of the Bharatiya Jata Party (BJP) in the state. He said there would be no appeasement of the minority communities, but all are welcome to the BJP. The BJP has one member in the 140-member Kerala Assembly. It is yet to open its account in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha from Kerala. “I am here as part of our party’s programme to be in the 120 Lok Sabha constituencies where we finished second in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. I will be meeting with my party leaders,” said idu. Hitting hard at the Congress party, idu said no wise person can remain in the Congress as it’s a “sinking ship”. “We however are not making any efforts to target Congress leaders in Kerala to join the BJP, but there are so many people from various parties approaching us,” said idu. In the past one week there have been numerous media reports that a few senior leaders from the Congress party would join the Kerala unit of the BJP. In reply to a question that Kerala does not have a representation in the rendra Modi cabinet, idu shot back saying there are no seats in the cabinet for many who have won the Lok Sabha polls and hence Kerala will have to elect someone. (IANS)