THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: SNDP general secretary Vellapally Natesan had conspired to damage the prospects of BJP candidate N. Sreeprakash in the Malappuram Lok Sabha by-election, it is alleged. He implemented his game plan at Perinthalmanna Assembly segment which has a sizeable number of Ezhava voters. He instructed Perinthalmanna SNDP taluk union president Parakottil Unni to ensure that the Ezhava votes were cast in favour of LDF candidate M. B. Faisal, it is said.
This allegation has been raised by a former BJP state president who told DC that Mr Natesan and his son Tushar Vellapally wanted to take revenge on the BJP for ignoring their claims. Though Mr Natesan had come to Malappuram, he had stayed away from the campaign programmes of the NDA candidate. The BJP national leadership had not taken into confidence Mr Natesan or Tushar, president of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena floated by the SNDP Yogam, on the candidature of Mr Sreeprakash. The BJP leader said that Mr Natesan had played spoilsport in Malappuram.
“The father - son duo have a love-hate relationship with the BJP state leadership. Natesan had asked bar owner Parkottil Unni to instruct the workers to vote for the CPM candidate,” said the BJP leader. However, Mr Natesan denied the charge and said that Karingattil Unni was a supporter of the Left. “Parakottil aka Perinthalmanna Unni has been a CPI follower. There are several SNDP Yogam leaders who are still working for CPM. Unni’s brother P. Kumaran was a former CPI MLA from Mannarkkad,” said Mr Natesan.
