BJP looks to open Kerala account, signs seat sharing agreement with BDJS

Thiruvananthapuram: The newly formed Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) and BJP reached an agreement for seat sharing in the May 16 Kerala assembly elections under which the fledgling party will contest 37 of the 140 seats at stake. [caption id=“attachment_2688202” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] Both parties arrived at a consensus on seat sharing at a crucial meeting held here, leaders of the parties said. As per the agreement, BDJS, floated recently by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) would contest 37 seats, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan and BDJS president Thushar Vellappally told a joint press conference. SNDP is an outfit of the numerically stronger backward Ezhava community in the state. Rajasekharan said the National Democratic Alliance’s state committee meeting would be held in the first week of April and a candidate list of the partners was expected to be announced before that. Besides the BJP and BDJS, Kerala Congress, led by former union minister PC Thomas is also part of the NDA in the state. BJP is looking to open its account in the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala. The saffron party has never been successful in the assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state. It, however, put up a better showing in last year’s civic elections. PTI