Seven-time legislator PC George's Kerala Janapaksham Secular joins NDA

Kerala Janapaksham Secular, headed by seven-time legislator PC George, has joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. Kerala BJP President PS Sreedharan Pillai made this announcement in the presence of BJP national Secretary Satya Kumar and George himself.

Speaking to IANS, George said the decision to join the NDA was a unanimous decision of his party and he was happy to see the election manifesto of the BJP, which has given consideration to the minority communities.

"I will be sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at Kozhikode on Friday when he will be addressing the election rally. I am convinced that Modi can do a lot of good and hence decided to become an ally of NDA," said George and added that the BJP will spring a surprise in Kerala when votes in the Lok Sabha polls are counted on May 23.

The development comes days after George, who represents the Poonjar assembly constituency in Kottayam district, said he would vote for BJP candidate K Surendran. The BJP has fielded its strongman Surendran from Pathanamathitta where the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple is located.

While CPI(M) has fielded its sitting MLA Veena George as its candidate, the Congress renominated sitting MP Anto Antony.

67-year-old George, who supported protests by Hindu outfits over the Sabarimala issue, was a member of the erstwhile Kerala Congress, then Kerala Congress faction led by former State Minister P.J. Joseph, then moved base to the party of now deceased K.M. Mani before floating his own party.

In the 2016 assembly polls, George recorded his seventh electoral victory with a margin of over 27,000 votes, defeating candidates put up by the three political fronts in the state.

George had supported protests by various Hindu outfits last year against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict lifting the traditional ban on entry of women in the 10-50 age group into the Sabarimala temple.

He had come out openly against the LDF government's stand supporting entry of women in the menstrual age group into the hill shrine.

With Agency Inputs