Kerala ally threatens to walk out of NDA

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the midst of much-publicised BJP national council meet in north Kerala port city Kozhikode, an important ally of the party Bhartiya Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), a political outfit of backward Ezhavas, on Friday threatened to desert the saffron camp accusing it of ignoring coalition dharma.

BDJS supremo Vellapally Natesan warned that the alliance would break unless the BJP leadership fulfils promises made to the party. Interestingly, this is happening at a time when party chief Amit Shah is desperately scouting for allies to widen the party base in the southern state.

“The coalition will not work if the BJP leadership continues to ignore the BDJS. It has to meet the promises made when we agreed to work together. We have been waiting but we are running out of patience now,” said Natesan. The two had entered into a coalition a few months before the May assembly elections in which the NDA improved its vote share from 7 to 15 per cent.

Talking to HT, Natesan said, “We have been waiting all these days. But our patience is running out. Party cadres are also upset with the continued silence of the BJP leadership,” he said.

However, he refused to disclose what promises the BJP leadership had made.

He said his party has to suffer a lot when it decided to ally with the BJP. “Now, our cadre is openly asking us what have we got by aligning with the BJP. We never expected such a treatment,” he said, adding his son Tushar Vellapally will attend the NDA meeting to be convened by Amit Shah on Monday.