Politicos stare at VHP-SNDP newfound love

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political circles and social commentators have expressed different views about  SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan's new-found bonhomie with VHP international working president Pravin Togadia.   Natesan has lauded Togadia saying the CPM leadership should  actually fear the church heads and not the  VHP leader.

Togadia had visited Kerala five times and met Natesan thrice.  CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and his predecessor Pinarayi Vijayan had lashed out at  the SNDP leader for his association with Togadia. Natesan has planned tie-up with Togadia in health, agriculture and education sectors and claimed that he was being lauded by the community members from far and near.

“Togadia is not a terrorist. He is an oncologist who has  operated more than 16, 000 cancer patients. Those  who commit mistakes should fear  others. Unfortunately, the CPM leaders are scared  as they bank on Ezhava votes,”   Natesan told DC.

The VHP leader and Natesan had agreed to work together for a new agriculture policy which will ensure  affordable organic manure available to the farmers. Next week, a team of doctors is expected to visit the site at Kattapana in Idukki where a  medical college will be set up. Similarly,  the colleges being proposed by VHP have  already been entrusted to Natesan.

Social commentator B.R.P. Bhaskar feels that Natesan has been moving towards Hindutva camp for quite some time and that the CPM shouldn’t be worried of the new move.

“I don’t think Natesan can claim  mass electoral support in the SNDP Yogam. He  is serving certain needs of the community. Prominent Ezhava leader R. Sankar got elected from Malabar region in the 1960s,  which was not an SNDP stronghold,” said Bhaskar.