KOCHI: A new political party, Democratic Social Justice Party (DSJP), aimed at bringing together all communities that are not covered by caste or religion-based reservation has been formed which, the founders said, will have a far-reaching impact on the electoral politics in Kerala. The party draws support mainly from the Nair community and other related communities represented by Nambiar Samajam, Warrier Samajam and Shaiva Vellala Sangham which had participated in statewide preparatory meetings held over the past two years in Nilambur, Karukutti, Kalamassery, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam, a DSJP statement said.
The DSJP does not oppose the reservation given to other groups currently, the statement said. Ensuring social justice to all; cutting money power in elections; saving the environment, particularly the rivers; upholding national interests; and pursuing no personal income tax policy with the Centre are some of the other objectives of the new party.
The chief patron of the party is Manjery Bhaskara Pillai, who heads over 100 Malabar Nair Samajam units in north Kerala and also the patron of Global NSS Kerala. K S R Menon, Aluva (journalist and author), is the president, Prof Konni Gopakumar (formerly general secretary of the now-defunct NDP) the general secretary and well-known businessman Mallelil Sreedharan Nair the treasurer.
The DSJP is set to launch its membership campaign in Aluva on Saturday and is looking forward to putting up a strong show in the panchayat elections next year. The forward communities did not have a strong political platform for the last couple of decades and DSJP will fill that vacuum, the statement added. The party which has been given registration by the Election Commission of India will not be entitled to an election symbol but will get priority over the independents.