Allies sore over BJP's yatra' exclusion

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The NDA state leadership has expressed its reservations about the bid to convert Mr Kummanam Rajasekharan's Janaraksha Yatra into a BJP show without taking its allies into confidence. SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan  has protested against the BJP’s attitude and said that the BDJS should join the Left camp.  Its state leadership is set to discuss its future course of action at a meeting soon.

The NDA Kerala chapter which held a meeting at Cherthala the other day complained to Mr  Kummanam about ignoring the allies in the  campaign materials of his yatra.  BDJS president Tushar Vellapally himself raised the issue first. “The campaign materials have  highlighted  the programme as Kummanam’s yatra which may  create issues with the BDJS and other allies,”  a BJP leader told DC. While  Mr Vellapally attacks the  BJP,  his son Tushar does not speak anything against it openly. Sources close to Mr Tushar said that the BDJS was resorting to  pressure tactics.

“The BDJS had demanded a top central board post for BDJS general secretary Subhash Vasu. Promises have been given to the other allies in the NDA Kerala chapter. So Vellapally is trying to make his voice heard by the  BJP national leadership on behalf of the BDJS,”  a source said. KPCC president M.M. Hassan told DC on Saturday that the BDJS will not join the UDF when the BJP is in power at the centre. Mr Vellappally was using pressure tactics to get some central posts for the BDJS, he said.