Now, BJP to campaign without BDJS support
The other BJP leaders feel that there is no point in trying to humour the BDJS as only two more weeks are left for the polling.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has lost its patience with the BDJS and decided to campaign without the latter's support in Chengannur. Though former BJP state president V. Muraleedharan claims that all is well with the NDA alliance, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan and his son and BDJS president Tushar Vellapally have a different opinion. The other BJP leaders feel that there is no point in trying to humour the BDJS as only two more weeks are left for the polling.
A senior BJP leader who is co-ordinating the campaign told DC that there was not much hope as the central leadership may not take a favourable stand towards the BDJS. The central leadership is keenly awaiting the Karnataka Assembly election results which will be announced on Tuesday. However, he hoped that BJP candidate P.S. Sreedharan Pillai will get more Nair votes this time compared to the 2016 Assembly elections. Mr Vellapally's utterances will prompt Nairs to vote for the BJP. "The SNDP leaders who did not favour Mr Pillai last time are supporting us now," he said.
Congress leaders who collected the booth-level votes received by the three major political parties in the 2016 Assembly poll said that Ala, Chennithala and Budhannoor booths have a sizable population of Ezhavas who supported the BDJS last time. The BDJS and SNDP Yogam leaders would support CPM candidate Saji Cherian as they had voted in favour of the late CPM MLA K. K. Ramachandran Nair, it is said. The BJP camp feels that Mr Sreedharan Pillai will get the support of the Orthodox and Marthoma communities.