Not far from Kizhakkambalam, where a corporate-sponsored political entity clinched power in the panchayat last year, a former corporate honcho is contesting the Assembly election.
V. Gopakumar, former chief operating officer of Reliance Communications for Kerala, has been fielded by the newly formed BDJS, a partner in the NDA, from Kalamassery.
A marketing specialist for 26 years with different corporates in south India and the Middle East, Mr. Gopakumar was handpicked by SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan to be the State coordinator of his Samatwa Munnetta Yatra, Mr. Gopakumar hopped on the wagon with Mr. Natesan and was appointed State coordinator of the new political outfit BDJS launched at the close of the yatra. “There’s no point venting ire against corruption on social media. The time has come to get into the ring,” says Mr. Gopakumar.
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It was during the yatra — which came under fire for Mr. Natesan’s debasing, if not malicious, comments against the supreme sacrifice of auto driver Noushad in Kozhikode — that he says he got attracted to the ideals and vision of Mr. Natesan.
“He [Mr. Natesan] was only seeking equality for all. Though the divide between various sections has dramatically narrowed over the years, the majority has been steadily wronged, financially, socially and administratively,” he contends, betraying no hesitance of a political greenhorn.
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That he has an uphill task fighting veterans in Kalamassery fails to dampen his spirit.
“It’s a fight between a professional and two politicians, one of them facing allegations of corruption,” he says, promising to go about ‘developing’ the constituency in a structured manner.