The politician in Thushar Vellappally was born after his father Vellappally Natesan floated the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) in December 2015.
While floating the outfit, Vellappally Natesan, like many of the politically and financially powerful people in the state – for example, KM Mani of Kerala Congress (M), R Balakrishna Pillai of Kerala Congress (B) and TM Jacob of Kerala Congress (J) – made sure that his son would be the heir.
And no surprises, Thushar is leading BDJS as its president.
Vellappally did the same with the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam as well – the Ezhava community organisation of which he was General Secretary for at least two decades. Thushar is now the Assistant Secretary of the influential organisation.
BDJS is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the state and Thushar is the NDA convenor. Thushar’s name is among the probable NDA candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
There are contradicting reports on his candidature. Thushar, however, says that he hasn’t taken the final call yet.
“I have to work for other candidates of the coalition, for their victory, my candidature comes second,” he says.
“If I also opted to be a candidate, that would affect the coordination of the election work. Hence, I don’t wish to be in the foray. I have communicated this to the BJP state and central leadership. Both the central and the state leadership wanted me to contest in the elections,” Thushar tells TNM.
Vellappally Natesan had announced his desire that Thushar shouldn’t contest in the elections. “What he said was his personal opinion that I shouldn’t contest in the elections, there can’t be anything political in it. In my decision also, there is nothing political. However, I haven’t taken the final decision yet. The NDA also needs to finalise the candidates’ list. BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai has made it very clear. But media reports have been saying many things about which we have no knowledge at all,” Thushar further says.
Though born out of SNDP, BDJS is trying to establish a political identity without linking it to the community organisation. And Vellappally Natesan and Thushar have taken opposing political stands recently in several issues.
Vellappally Natesan, though known for his easily fluctuating stands, has been supporting the Left government in backing the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of menstruating ages to worship at Sabarimala temple. On the contrary, Thushar has been an active part of the BJP protests against the verdict.