The disenchantment between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) turned conspicuous with the latter staying away from the maiden election convention of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at Vengara on Friday.
Leaders of both parties agreed that there were some differences but said the issues would be addressed soon. BDJS district leaders did not bother to make any excuses for boycotting the convention but said they were asked by their State leaders not to attend.
Kummanam opens meet
BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan, who inaugurated the convention for the October 11 Assembly byelection at Vengara, said attempts were on to patch up the differences at the State level. But BDJS State leaders said no such move was on.
Addressing the convention, Mr. Rajasekharan lashed out at the State government for going the extra mile to cover up the corrupt deeds of Transport Minister Thomas Chandy.
He said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government was turning a blind eye to the development activities of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. He said the Modi government had done for Kerala what eight Central ministers from the State could not do.
He accused the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the LDF of trying to ballyhoo the children’s death in a Gorakhpur hospital even when covering up innumerable deaths of children at Attappady because of malnutrition.
“When three people died of dengue in Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of 15 crore, 28 people died of dengue in Kerala, which has a population of three crore,” he said.
BJP district president K. Ramachandran presided.
NDA candidate K. Janachandran filed his nomination on Friday before the Vengara block development officer. Mr. Rajasekharan, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Rajanbabu, and Mr. Ramachandran accompanied him.