The BJP’s most prominent ally in the alliance, the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) has, at long last, shed its silence and openly aired its resentment against the big brother attitude of the BJP.

The BDJS’s displeasure stems from the steadfast refusal of the BJP to keep the promises it had made to allies like BDJS, Adivasi Gotra Sabha led by CK Janu and the Yogakshema Sabha. BJP president Amit Shah’s assurance to give prime positions in corporations and boards has remained unimplemented. Despite repeated reminders, the BJP’s central leadership has failed to address the concerns of the allies.

What has come as the last straw is the cabinet berth given to KJ Alphons Kannamthanam. The BDJS leadership feels – rightly so – that the party had better claims for a berth in the Union Cabinet as it had proved its strength in the last assembly elections, enabling the BJP to improve its own vote share.

As an expression of its anger, the BDJS has decided to abstain from all NDA programmes in the state as also the Kerala Raksha Yatra planned by the state BJP against ‘CPI(M) violence’ in the state in the first week of October.

Significantly, the BDJS decision has followed a recent meeting Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellappally Natesan had with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The meeting is clearly indicative of the SNDP’s displeasure over the raw deal meted out to the BDJS, which is the creation of the SNDP. Although Vellappally refused to divulge details of the meeting, it is evident that the SNDP is exploring the possibilities of building bridges with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Interestingly, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is also making efforts to woo the BDJS into the front. Kerala Congress Committee president (KPCC) M M Hassan has made no secret of the Congress’s desire to have the BDJS in the UDF camp.

In retrospect, it would seem that the NDA in Kerala is close to a collapse, mainly due to the arrogant attitude of the BJP and its neglect of and contempt for the allies. The BJP leadership thinks that the alliance has done them no good. Since there has not been any appreciable increase in the BJP’s vote share, the BJP is credited with the view that the allies do not deserve to be rewarded with plum posts. Let them first prove themselves and then stake a claim for spoils of office. That seems to be the BJP’s line of thinking.

But, the allies are in no mood to take things lying down. That is the meaning of the open expression of displeasure by the BDJS. Apart from the BDJS, the Adivasi Gotra Sabha is also unhappy over the BJP’s raw deal.

The serious setback the BJP has suffered has to be viewed against the lacklustre response the party’s decision to induct KJ Alphons Kannamthanam into the Union Cabinet from the Christian community. The BJP has pinned high hopes on Alphons’s ability to woo large chunks of the community. But the reality is that Alphons has neither the stature nor the mass base which can induce a rethink of the Christian community’s attitude towards the BJP. No wonder, the BJP is in the blue mood. (IPA Service)