Discontent is brewing among Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Wayanad over the rejoining of the Janadhipatya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS), led by tribal leader C.K. Janu, with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Ms. Janu was the NDA candidate in the Sulthan Bathery segment in the 2016 Assembly polls and secured 27,920 votes. However, she left the alliance in 2018 levelling allegations such as neglect in the front by the BJP and failure of its leadership to honour promises given to the party.
BJP district president Saji Sankar told mediapersons on Tuesday that the district leadership came to know about the development through visual media. The final decision on her re-entry and candidature was up to the State leadership. However, there was no official communication from the leadership, Mr. Sankar said.
However, party workers were unhappy as she had left the front openly levelling allegations against the BJP. The State leadership should evaluate the acceptability of Ms. Janu among party members before fielding her in any Assembly segment in the district, he said.
“Party workers will not oppose if the State leadership decides to field her. But, we think the leadership will act according to the wishes of party workers in the district,” he said.
However, Ms. Janu said she decided to rejoin the coalition after discussions with the State leadership of the BJP. “The district committee may perhaps have its own stance regarding my re-entry to the front,” she said adding that such issues should be solved by the party State leadership after discussing it with the district leadership.
BJP State president K. Surendran told The Hindu that the leadership had discussed the issue with the district leaders and it was resolved .
However, the candidature of Ms. Janu would be decided later, Mr. Surendran added.
