Making his political stand clear, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan has said the Yogam will not support any front in the upcoming elections.
‘‘Unlike previous elections, this time we are not extending support to any front. Members of the Yogam can cast their votes the way they want. The Yogam has no liaison with any party," Mr. Natesan said at a press conference here on Tuesday.
He said the Sabarimala issue would result in total disintegration of the UDF, while the LDF would sail out of the situation unharmed. ‘‘The BJP will gain from it, they will bag a lot of UDF votes,’’ said Mr. Natesan who criticised Sabarimala Tantri, the BJP and the NSS for their stands.
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He said that an upper caste lobby was in control of the Sabrimala protests. ‘‘All the decisions were taken by certain persons who consider themselves lords. Treating a section of society as vassals and then inviting them for namajapam is not acceptable. We are not willing to cooperate with such people. There is no use trying to trick us showing a Senkumar or Babu,’’ he said, adding that it was the duty of a government to implement the Supreme Court order.
Mr. Natesan said the ‘Ayyappa bhakta sangamam’ held in Thiruvananthapuram had political motives and it was Mata Amritanadamayi who drew the crowds to the ground. ‘‘I was lucky since I could not participate in the event due to some prior engagement. I was not aware of its political colour when they invited me,’’ he said.