Yeddy setback dampener for BJP in Chengannur

ALAPPUZHA: The Karnataka political developments leading to the humiliation  of  the BJP are bound to  impact the Chengannur by-election. While the BJP leaders have put up a brave front, the LDF and UDF believe  that the situation has turned in their favour.    The BJP was hoping to cash in on its  good performance in Karnataka where it  emerged as the single largest party and staked claim to form the government. 

National president Amit Shah had boasted that Karnataka would be the gateway to the south  and the local leaders in Chengannur were working hard to turn his dream into reality.  NDA candidate P.S. Sreedharan Pillai’s task now appears to be quite daunting.   Mr Pillai, who had bagged 42,282 votes in the 2016 Assembly elections,  was hoping  to do better this time. “We are not concerned about the happenings in Karnataka.   The will of the people was  with the BJP which became the single largest party. The post-poll alliance of Congress and JD(S) is a  classic example of horse-trading and unholy nexus. We will explain to the people about the real situation.  The fight between the Congress and the CPM  is and  eyewash. They will join together once the Chengannur election gets over,” said  Mr K. Soman, president, BJP district committee.

The support of NDA ally BDJS to Mr Pillai remains a question mark.   The SNDP  Yogam will declare its stance on Chengannur  on Sunday. The yogam  claims to have 41,000 votes in the constituency. Mr Vellapally Natesan, general secretary of the yogam, had recently claimed that the BJP will not be able to win without the support of the BDJS.  Mr M.Liju,  DCC president, said,  “the BJP failed miserably to   cling  to  power by subverting  democracy.   The people will not  tolerate  what the BJP has done. The victory of democracy in Karnataka has boosted the voters’ morale  in Chengannur and the Congress will win,” Mr Liju claimed.

The LDF, which is fighting to  retain the constituency, is hopeful that the voters will see through the games played by  the Congress and BJP  to acquire power.   CPM politburo member Brinda Karat the other day had said that the  Congress had no belief even in their MLAs  as shown in   Karnataka’s resort politics. “Both the Congress and the BJP have failed to protect the ethos of democracy and Constitution.  Both the parties stand  exposed. Karnataka will  reflect in Chengannur  as well,” said Mr R. Nazer, secretary, CPM district committee.