In Kerala, ally says it won't back BJP in by-election

Alappuzha (Kerala), March 14 (IANS) The BDJS, the BJP's strongest ally in Kerala, announced on Wednesday that it won't back the Bharatiya Janata Party in the soon to be announced Assembly by-election at Chengannur constituency.

The Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) is the political arm of the SNDP, which works predominantly for the backward Ezhava community. It was formed in 2015 and secured 4.47 per cent votes in 2016 in Assembly elections in the state.

BDJS chief Tushar Vellapally said after a meeting of his party that they had decided not to cooperate with the BJP in the Chengannur by-election as and when it is announced.

"We have also decided to call a meeting of all the allies of the NDA barring the BJP. We are pained that a section of the state BJP has spread baseless rumours that I am going to be chosen by the BJP national leadership to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls," he said. 

"I never ever said that I am going to contest for the Rajya Sabha. I will make an official complaint to the national BJP leadership."

He pointed out that his party would now on cooperate with the BJP only after its demands were addressed.

"When the BJP contested the 2011 Assembly polls from Chengannur, it got just 6,000 votes. Their tally went past 40,000 in 2016 and that was because of our strong base," he said.