Various majority community outfits of Kerala, led by SNDP Yogam, the
organisation of Hindu lower caste Ezhavas who constitute 20 per cent of the
State’s population, may launch a political party of their own in December with
the agenda of ensuring “social justice” to all.
The plan to launch such a party is based on the feeling that there is space
for a “third front” in Kerala which can work as an alternative to the two main
fronts led by the Congress and the CPI(M).
SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan said, “There is every
possibility that a party could be launched in December itself,” his son and
Yogam vice-president Thushar Vellappally told newsmen, “It is certain that a
new party of the various majority communities will come into being in
December.”
“A third front has become inevitable in Kerala,” said Natesan in Cherthala,
Alappuzha on Monday after a convention held to discuss the pros and cons of
floating a party of the majority communities. “The general feeling reflected at
the convention was that the formation of a political party would be appropriate
in the present situation,” he said.
Making it clear that the prime agenda of the new party will be to oppose the
alleged minority appeasement policies of the Congress-led UDF and the
CPI(M)-headed LDF and to ensure social justice to all, Thushar said, “The two
fronts have given no consideration for the majority communities. Therefore, the
new party will be of those who are equally disappointed.”
The SNDP had started the efforts to rope in other majority communities into
the programme for floating a new party after he began meeting BJP leaders with
the alleged intention of striking an alliance with it in the context of the
civic polls to be held in the first week of next month and the Assembly
elections due in April-May, 2016.
Natesan has already held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
BJP chief Amit Shah, triggering criticisms that his efforts are to get into a
“communal alliance” with the BJP and RSS in order to further his family and
financial interests by misinterpreting the teachings of social reformist Sree
Narayana Guru on which the SNDP is founded.
Probably perturbed by such criticisms, Natesan said on Monday that the new
party to be formed would not be of Hindus alone. “Such a party will have to be
a secular collective of all sections, including ‘others’. The general opinion
of today’s meeting was that it would be better if the new party does not have
the image of a unity of Hindu communities,” he added.
Several leading intellectuals of the State like political observers A
Jayasankar and NM Pearson and journalist P Rajan - people with no association
with the SNDP Yogam - had attended the meeting as special invitees. Also,
delegates of various community outfits like the Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha and
Vaikunda Swamy Dharma Pracharasabha also participated in the meeting.
Asked by newsmen about the possibility of the BJP “opening account” in
Kerala in the next Assembly election, Natesan answered in the affirmative.
“They will. Can’t you see what is happening in the political front?” he asked.
However, he added that the SNDP had so far not sought the support of the BJP
for the party to be floated.
Meanwhile, the top leadership of the State Congress unleashed a scathing
attack against the SNDP Yogam under Natesan and the BJP. “The BJP’s prospects
in Kerala have ended with its decision to associate with the SNDP Yogam. The
Amit Shah-Modi agenda is not going to bear fruits in Kerala,” said State
Congress president VM Sudheeran.
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