In a last-minute efforts to forge ties with non-UDF, non-LDF parties, the BJP has formed a state chapter of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by garnering the support of Revolutionary Socialist party (Bolshevik), recently constituted Kerala Congress (Nationalist) and Lok Jan Sakthi (LJP) parties.
Announcing the decision to form the coalition in a press conference here on Saturday, BJP state president V Muralidhran said that at the initial stage the coalition will have four member parties on its side.
While RSP (Bolshevik) led by A V Thamarakshan and KC (Nationalist) led by Noble Mathew, a former loyalist of Kerala Congress (M), were offered one seat each, LJP, the Kerala chapter of the party led by Ram Vilas Paswan at the Centre will not have a seat this election.
Muralidharan said that Thamarakshan and Noble Mathew will contest from Alappuzha and Kottayam constituencies respectively, while BJP will contest in the rest 18 constituencies.
In a joint statement issued here, the leaders of four coalition members said that they decided to form a common platform to set up an alternate force against the anti-people policies of the UPA government and to protest against the ‘compromise politics’ engaged in by the UDF and LDF in the state.
“In Kerala, there is an urgent need for constituting a real democratic alternative against two existing coalition, which crippled the developments of the state.