Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5 (IANS): Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) Kerala State President, Thushar Vellappally, while speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday said the party is not drifting towards the United Democratic Front (UDF) and is very much part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Vellappaly Natesan, General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam), is also the father of Thushar Vellappally.

Thushar Vellappally said those who have left the party and claimed to have floated a new political outfit do not have any relevance.

He said the BDJS former State General Secretary, V. Gopakumar was earlier suspended from the party.

The 'SNDP Yogam' represents the powerful Ezhava community which is nearly 26 per cent of the state population and the BDJS's political alliance with the NDA has been formed with the consent and support of the BJP's national leadership.

It is owing to the support of the BDJS that the BJP is able to make inroads into the powerful backward community of Ezhavas and the BJP's national leadership does not want to lose it.

A section of the BDJS leaders led by V. Gopakumar, floated a new outfit 'Bharatheeya Jana Sena' (BJS) and announced that the new party is aligning with the UDF.

The BJS leaders said the BJP had dilly-dallied with the Sabarimala Temple issue and therefore, they were extending their support to the UDF led by the Congress.

The alignment of the BJS faction with the UDF in Kerala is seen as a master stroke of P.K. Kunhalikutty, the National General Secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), who is considered a master political operator.

Thushar Vellappally while speaking to IANS said telephonically that, "The new outfit does not have any political base and three persons cannot make a party. These leaders were either expelled from the BDJS or they had resigned from the party and such leaders have no effect on the powerful Ezhava community or the BDJS."