In a state where celebrities rarely wade into saffron politics, the image of a celebrated composer on a BJP stage carried unmistakable political weight.
Published Oct 18, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Ouseppachan’s possible entry, if it materialises, would be politically significant for the saffron party for several reason.
Synopsis: The BJP in Kerala appears to be going all out with its strategy of courting high-profile non-political figures ahead of the all-important 2026 Assembly polls, seeking to build a third front in a political landscape dominated by the LDF–UDF duopoly. Renowned composer Mechery Louis Ouseppachan’s recent appearance at a BJP event in Thrissur, and the party leaders’ subsequent invitation for him to contest the polls, is the latest in a long line of similar public outreach initiatives that the party first began using in 2021, with varying degrees of success.
In Kerala, power has always alternated between two major fronts: the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite its decades-long presence, has remained a fringe player.
But as the state inches closer to the 2026 Assembly elections, the saffron party appears to be taking a more radical approach to its campaigning, aiming to make a stronger mark in the state.
Ouseppachan seen at the dais of the BJP’s Vikasana Sandesha Yatra in Thrissur on 17 October
It is a fresh playbook that leans on glamour, cultural capital, and the credibility of public figures beyond the traditional political class.
The latest example of that effort is the apparent endorsement from renowned violinist-turned-music composer Mechery Louis Ouseppachan, who made a rare political appearance by sharing the stage with BJP leaders in Thrissur recently.
It was an event to inaugurate the party’s Vikasana Sandesha Yatra (Development Message March), led by state vice-president B Gopalakrishnan.
“Bharath is our mother. We should work together for our country. All of us should grow with the same mindset,” Ouseppachan, who won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction for the film Ore Kadal in 2007, told the gathering.
Though he has not taken party membership, BJP leaders openly invited him to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, signalling once again the party’s intent to woo cultural icons to expand its base.
In a state where celebrities rarely wade into saffron politics, the image of a celebrated composer on a BJP stage carried unmistakable political weight.
Adding to the moment, BJP leaders issued an open invitation to both Ouseppachan and TV panelist Fakhruddin Ali, who also attended, to join the party and contest the polls.
“People like Ouseppachan, who have earned respect in society, should come to the Assembly as BJP representatives. We don’t need politicians who only create chaos. We need people with a vision of development,” said Gopalakrishnan.
This is not an isolated outreach either.
Over the past six years, the BJP’s Kerala unit has systematically courted artists, actors, bureaucrats-turned-public figures, and cultural influencers to broaden its social appeal.
The party, struggling to secure a meaningful presence against the LDF and the UDF, sees these figures as vital bridges to sections of society that have historically stayed away from saffron politics.
This strategy first gained visibility in the run-up to the 2021 Assembly polls, when the party fielded several cultural figures as candidates.
Film star Suresh Gopi, a familiar face on Kerala screens, became the most prominent of these recruits.
Suresh Gopi
Though he lost the 2021 Assembly contest in Thrissur, he significantly increased the BJP’s vote share there – and eventually became the party’s first Lok Sabha MP from Kerala in 2024.
Others followed: actors Devan, Radha, G Krishnakumar, Vivek Gopan, and television producer Sujith Sunder joined at various points between 2019 and 2023, signalling a clear pattern.
These were not traditional politicians but public figures the state knew and admired. “It’s a conscious strategy to blend cultural appeal with our political message,” a senior BJP functionary told South First on condition of anonymity.
“Kerala’s political soil is tough. But when respected public figures stand with the party, it helps soften perceptions and draw attention beyond core ideological circles,” they added.
The party’s “celebrity strategy” is inspired in part by Tamil Nadu, where film stars have played decisive roles in politics for decades.
But the Kerala experiment comes with its own challenges.
While Suresh Gopi’s star power turned the Thrissur seat into a battleground in 2021 and later delivered a Lok Sabha win, other celebrity candidates—G Krishnakumar, known for his television and film roles, and popular TV actor Vivek Gopan—also entered the fray, contesting from Thiruvananthapuram and Chavara respectively. Their presence was anything but inconsequential.
Veteran film actor Devan and actress Radha did not contest but played key campaign roles, lending visibility to BJP rallies and roadshows.
For the BJP, these tactics were less about immediate electoral victories and more about changing perceptions – presenting a softer, more familiar face to the state’s electorate.
These personalities carried with them an emotional and cultural connection that the party hoped would resonate with voters beyond its traditional support base.
Even in defeat, the party believes their involvement helped amplify its message and visibility in constituencies where it had previously struggled to make an impact.
“Such star presence helped the party shed its ‘outsider’ image in many urban and semi-urban pockets. The Thrissur experiment itself is proof that cultural capital can be converted into political gains over time,” the aforementioned BJP functionary told South First.
According to them, even a symbolic alignment helps the party break the perception barrier.
“Whether this translates into votes is another question – but it definitely changes the conversation,” they added.
Ouseppachan’s possible entry, if it materialises, would be politically significant for several reasons.
First, he is not just another celebrity – he is a revered figure in Kerala’s cultural sphere, associated with melody rather than controversy.
Second, his soft endorsement of “national growth and unity” aligns with the BJP’s development narrative, which the party is aggressively pushing to counter ideological resistance in Kerala.
But perhaps most importantly, Ouseppachan hails from Kerala’s Christian community – a voter bloc that has traditionally aligned with the Congress-led UDF and, to a lesser extent, with the Left.
In recent years, the BJP has made calculated attempts to make inroads into this constituency through symbolic gestures, community outreach, and strategic alliances.
Having a respected Christian figure like Ouseppachan on its side, even if only indirectly, could help the party soften its image among sections of Christian voters who have so far remained wary of its Hindutva tag.
Thrissur, with its vibrant cultural and festival circuits and a sizable Christian population, has always been strategically important for the BJP.
It is here that Suresh Gopi built his political base.
A second heavyweight from the same district, and from a minority community, could amplify the party’s visibility and help project a new, more inclusive face of the BJP in Kerala.
The larger backdrop to these moves is the BJP’s stated ambition to emerge as the third pole in Kerala politics – an alternative to the entrenched LDF-UDF duopoly.
The party leadership believes that a mix of cultural icons, development-centric messaging, and strategic constituency targeting could help it secure a stronger foothold in 2026.
This approach also coincides with the BJP’s recent organisational revamp in the state, which aims to identify winnable candidates early, tap into caste-community dynamics, and mobilise non-traditional voter segments.
BJP insiders say more cultural figures may be approached in the coming months, as the party plans to project “inclusive development” rather than overt ideological narratives in select constituencies.
But for all its planning, the BJP’s celebrity outreach still faces Kerala’s deeply entrenched political patterns. Unlike Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh, stardom alone does not guarantee electoral success in the state.
Voters often separate on-screen admiration from political endorsement. Still, the Thrissur event has once again placed the spotlight on the BJP’s unusual campaign playbook.
Whether or not Ouseppachan takes the plunge, the signal from the saffron camp is clear: the party is casting its net wider than ever before.
And in the run-up to 2026, it is betting big on the power of cultural icons to help it rewrite Kerala’s political script.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
