NDA allies bless BJP by grace of absence

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the BJP's election convention in Malappuram, bickering within has begun alleging thin attendance. BDJS state president Tushar Vellappally and C. K. Janu, leader of Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha, its partners in the NDA, were conspicuous by their absence. A section of BJP leaders alleges that there has been a secret deal between UDF candidate P. K. Kunhalikutty and state BJP leadership in fielding a weaker candidate, N. Sreeprakash.

BJP State leadership had initially claimed that their convention would see close to 10, 000 supporters attending. But hardly 1000 people turned turning top leaders red-faced. Adding to their woes not many from NDA Kerala chapter showed up. But the leadership maintained that BDJS leaders Subhash Vasu and T. V. Babu did represent at the Malappuram convention. “At the recent public meetings, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan was not drawing crowds. It was the apt time for encashing strides the party has made at the national level. But sadly the first convention turned out to be a damp squib,” said a top leader.

But another leader clarified that if RSS State leadership takes an active role in the Malappuram by-election, then it would be a different ball game altogether. When BJP initially thought of fielding Badusha Thangal who belongs to the Thangal family of Kodappanakkal, it was the RSS that objected and recommended to have a Hindu candidate which saw Malappuram district vice president in the fray. However, allegations and counter allegations are rampant with BJP alleging that Kunhalikutty had initiated a secret deal with the BJP leadership so as to field a local candidate which would enable the Muslim League leader to increase his votes in the by-election scheduled for April 12. But Kunhalikutty had denied the allegation and termed it as baseless.