Pune, Maharashtra, India
Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday expressed confidence about the party’s prospects in Kerala following strong voter turnout, while also describing the Women’s Reservation Bill as a “revolutionary step” toward gender equality.
Speaking in Pune, Javadekar highlighted the significance of the high voting percentage in Kerala, where the BJP has traditionally struggled to gain a legislative foothold. “Voting in Kerala has been very strong, and currently, the Bharatiya Janata Party does not have even a single MLA there. This time, we will achieve significant success,” he said.
He further indicated that early feedback from polling suggested a competitive electoral scenario. “Based on yesterday’s reports and the information we have received from all areas, the contest is in double digits for all three parties, so we too will secure double-digit seats,” Javadekar added, projecting optimism about the party’s performance.
Kerala has historically seen a bipolar contest between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), with the BJP attempting to expand its presence in recent years. Javadekar’s remarks suggest that the party sees an opportunity to make electoral gains in the state amid high voter participation.
Commenting on leadership decisions in the event of a favorable outcome, Javadekar said the matter would be decided by the party’s top leadership. “If it comes to us, our Parliamentary Board will take that decision… so that is not an issue,” he stated, indicating that the focus remains on electoral performance rather than leadership speculation at this stage.
He also pointed to voter demographics as a positive indicator for the BJP. “In yesterday’s voting, a larger number of votes came from youth and women, which we consider a very positive sign,” he said, suggesting that these segments could play a decisive role in the results.
On the Women’s Reservation Bill, Javadekar described it as a landmark reform. “This is undoubtedly a revolutionary step. In the struggle for equal rights for women, this reservation was extremely necessary,” he said, noting that earlier attempts had failed due to lack of consensus.
He credited the current government for pushing the initiative forward. “No one had brought such a bill for so many years. There was no consensus on it earlier, but now the Modi government has introduced the bill and there is agreement on it,” he added.
The BJP has been actively highlighting the Women’s Reservation Bill as a key achievement, positioning it as part of its broader agenda of women-led development.
Javadekar’s remarks reflect the BJP’s dual focus on expanding its electoral footprint in states like Kerala while promoting policy initiatives such as women’s reservation as central to its political messaging.
