SNDP-BJP alliance won’t affect UDF, says AK Antony

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and former Union minister A K Antony on Friday said the alliance of BJP with the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam would not affect the prospects of the UDF in the State.

“Their coalition is not a threat to the success of the UDF in the upcoming elections. That is not going to affect us,” Antony told the media here.

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala also brushed aside the collaboration saying that has no political relevance. “The mindset of Kerala is secular. Those who tie up with the BJP will have no place in the Kerala politics,” Chennithala said.

Earlier, Congress and CPI-M had criticised SNDP general secretary Vellapally Natesan for "cosying up" with BJP.

KPCC President V M Sudheeran and CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan came out against Natesan on Thursday, the day the leader of SNDP, a powerful organisation of numerically high Ezhava community, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Sudheeran said attempting to join hands with the Sangh Parivar was a "clear disrespect" to Sree Narayana Guru, who founded SNDP. History would not pardon them for surrendering Guru's teachings and messages, Sudheeran added.

Balakrishnan said Natesan's move to take SNDP to the Sangh Parivar camp would be defeated by Guru's followers.