Assembly Elections 2026: Why The BJP in Kerala Is Hurt By The Centre’s Move To Amend The FCRA

Just a week ahead of the Assembly election, the Kerala BJP has found itself in a precarious position after the Union government announced its move to amend the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Christian churches have strongly opposed the amendment, warning that it could severely affect the finances of institutions that rely on overseas contributions.  Though the Union government has deferred the introduction of the amendment—reportedly following pressure from the BJP’s Kerala unit—the issue continues to dominate the election discourse in Kerala. The controversy has not only intensified political exchanges but also brought the centre–state dynamic and minority concerns sharply into focus in the run-up to the polls.

The timing of bringing the amendment has proved particularly challenging for the saffron party, which has been making a concerted push to win the support of Christian minorities in the state. With the controversy gaining traction, the state leadership was struggling to defend the Centre’s decision without alienating a community it has been trying to court. However, with the introduction of the amendment now postponed, the BJP is hoping to salvage lost ground and contain the political fallout ahead of the  assembly election in Kerala.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has welcomed the decision to postpone the introduction of the amendment, while cautioning that the bill has not been withdrawn entirely. “This should be kept in mind,” said CBCI spokesperson Robinson Rodrigues, indicating that concerns within the Church persist despite the temporary relief.

The controversy erupted at a time when, the BJP has made some inroads into Kerala’s Christian belt, managing to expand its outreach and build limited support. However, the current backlash threatens to unsettle those gains at a crucial juncture.

Minority Fears

Christian churches are concerned that the amended law could be weaponised to tighten control over institutions run by minority communities. While the BJP leadership had earlier sought to defend the move as a measure to curb money laundering, the explanation has failed to convince church leaders.

For the BJP, the stakes are particularly high. Its prospects in Kerala—especially in central regions—hinge significantly on the level of support it can mobilise from Christian voters. The party’s lone Lok Sabha victory in Thrissur was widely attributed, in part, to backing from sections of the Christian community, making the current controversy a potential setback to its growing outreach in the state.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has termed provisions in the amendment as “dangerous and alarming,” reflecting the deep unease within the Church. According to church leaders, the changes risk casting undue suspicion on donations meant for humanitarian and charitable activities.

Baselios Cardinal Cleemis, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, said that if any section within the Christian community poses a security threat, it should be clearly specified.

Backlash In Kerala

Leaders across denominations have broadly echoed these concerns, presenting a united front against the amendment. Joseph Kallarangatt, Bishop of Pala, argued that the changes would transform the FCRA from a regulatory framework into a controlling one. “It will affect charitable work. It will affect the international networks of Christian organisations,” he said.

The amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, introduced last week by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, seeks to create a more comprehensive regulatory framework by establishing a designated authority to oversee foreign contributions and related assets in cases where an organisation’s FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered, or ceases to exist.

In effect, the proposed changes empower the Union government to appoint an authority to take control of the funds and assets of such organisations once their FCRA certificate is no longer valid, significantly expanding the Centre’s oversight in such situations.

According to the Union government, the amendment was necessitated after certain gaps were identified “in relation to cases where the FCRA registration of an association is cancelled, surrendered or otherwise ceased.”

In Kerala, both Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Opposition leader V. D. Satheesan have expressed serious concerns over the proposed changes. Addressing an election rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the amendment is designed to benefit organisations such as the RSS, while leaving other charitable institutions at the mercy of the Union government.

The BJP in Kerala has been making sustained efforts to build a foothold among Christian communities through targeted outreach. It has brought leaders such as P. C. George, former MLA into its fold and elevated George Kurian, a Christian face in the party, to the Union Council of Ministers.

Christians, who account for around 18 per cent of Kerala’s population, are largely concentrated in central Kerala—a region where the BJP has been investing significant political capital to improve its electoral prospects by engaging with various community groups.

However, the FCRA amendment and the strong opposition from Church leaders appear to have thrown a spanner in the party’s strategy, potentially complicating its efforts to consolidate support within this crucial voter base at a decisive moment.

However, state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is contesting from the Nemom constituency in Thiruvananthapuram district, sought to put up a brave face when asked about the amendment. He said the bill will be introduced only after addressing the concern of all the stake holders.

He accused the opposition and the CPIM of spreading canards by portraying the move as anti-minority.

Meanwhile, Union minister George Kurian maintained that the amendment is not aimed at targeting minorities. Pointing out that only around 3,000 of the 10,000 applications for FCRA licences come from religious minority organisations, he argued that the changes are intended to curb money laundering rather than restrict minority institutions. Kurian is also the NDA candidate from Kanjirappally, a constituency with a significant Christian voter base, making the issue particularly sensitive in the run-up to the polls.

BJP's Christian Outreach

The BJP has fielded seven Christian candidates in the upcoming elections as part of its outreach strategy. Seven-time MLA and former Kerala Congress leader P. C. George is contesting from Poonjar, while his son Shone George, a former district panchayat member, is in the fray from the neighbouring Pala constituency.

While Poonjar is currently held by the LDF, Pala—once considered a stronghold of the Kerala Congress, now aligned with the CPIM is currently with the UDF, underscoring the shifting political dynamics in the region.

Though the BJP’s state leadership has been able to prevail upon the central leadership to postpone the introduction of the bill, the issue has already snowballed into a major controversy. The MPs from Kerala staged a protest in front of the Lok Sabha against the amendment.