Speaking to The News Minute, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) general secretary Vellappally Natesan reiterated that his recently-floated political party the Bharat Dharma Jana Seva (BDJS) is yet to take a call on being part of any particular front or to play a solitary hand in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala to be held in April/May.
‘We have kept our doors open and will consider joining any front which can protect our rights,’ Vellappally said.
On Monday, the former BJP state president V Muraleedharan had played down Vellappally’s out-of-the-blue profuse praise of Chandy and his government, saying it would have no bearing on the BJP’s relationship with the BDJS.
He was reacting to press reports of Vellappally having termed Chandy as “the most talented and capable Chief Minister Kerala ever had” on Sunday. Contradicting his earlier statements, Vellappally even went to the extent of extolling the UDF government for doing quite a bit for the upliftment of the Ezhava community.
Against the backdrop of Vellappally having held reported parleys with the Congress party for a plausible electoral tie-up, UDF convenor PP Thankachen has denied the same with a curt “BDJS will not join UDF” media statement.
Earlier in an interview to Asianet News on February 16, Vellappally had categorically denied any plans for his political party the Bharat Dharma Jana Seva (BDJS) to tie-up with the BJP in Kerala.
Natesan had said that the BDJS is not looking for an official alliance with the BJP but could consider cooperating in certain constituencies.
This came in the wake of reports that the BDJS would settle for nothing less than 20 seats and the BJP willing to part with only 16 of them in case of an electoral tie-up.
Though neither Vellappllay nor his son Tushaar has any plans to contest the elections, they are optimistic about their party performing well in the elections, going by the response to their Sammatva Munneta Yatra (March for Equality) that was held in November.