Push to enrol migrant voters

In an illuminating and ‘interesting’ political development, the Kerala unit of the BJP has defended its move to enrol migrant voters, particularly in Thrissur, where actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi won the party’s first-ever Lok Sabha seat from the state.

Amid allegations from the Congress and CPM about irregularities and sudden voter list spikes, BJP state vice-president B. Gopalakrishnan said the party would continue to bring in new voters legally, even from Jammu and Kashmir, if they fulfilled the one-year residence criteria.

“If someone from Kashmir wants to vote for me, they can stay here and vote for me,” he said.

“We can bring in people from Jammu and Kashmir, keep them here for one year and put them on the rolls. We can do it tomorrow also,” he explained.