KOCHI: While the BJP is charting out grand plans to break the jinx and win a couple of seats in Kerala in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, cracks have appeared in the NDA with Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), the main ally of the saffron party in Kerala, airing voices of dissent. The absence of BJP leaders at the state-level study camp organised by BDJS in Kochi is the latest incident that has infuriated the partner.
“Our state president Thushar Vellappally had attended the Jana Shakthi Rally organised by the BJP in Thrissur on Sunday. However, not a single leader of the BJP turned up for our camp on Thursday, which was aimed at rejuvenating the party and preparing for the LS polls.
We had invited BJP national organising secretary B L Santhosh, Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan, BJP state president K Surendran and vice-president A N Radhakrishnan. Nobody turned up and it is an insult to the party,” said a senior functionary of the BDJS.
No more tie-up with BJP till issues are sorted out, says BDJS
The arrival of the BDJS, which represents the prominent Ezhava community, had helped the NDA increase its vote share to 14% in the 2016 assembly elections. However, the relations grew sour as the Ezhava community was not much supportive of the BJP during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 assembly polls. The BDJS has been complaining that the BJP did not accomplish the promises given to it when it joined the NDA.
“Our alliance has helped the BJP increase its vote share in Thrissur, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. However, the BJP is not ready to acknowledge our contributions. It does’t even discuss issues with alliance partners. The leaders had aired strong disagreement against the BJP’s attitude in the state executive meeting held on Thursday. We have decided not to cooperate with the BJP until the issues are sorted out. If the BJP is not interested we are ready to part ways,” said the leader.
Responding to the allegations, BJP state vice-president A N Radhakrishnan said he was not aware of the rift. “It is true the BDJS had invited me to the Kochi study camp. I couldn’t attend the camp as I was in Thrissur. I don’t know why other leaders stayed away. We have a good relationship with the BDJS and if there are any misunderstandings it will be sorted out,” he said.