Latest news with #BDJS
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
BDJS pledges support to Mohan George in Nilambur
A State council meeting of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) here on Sunday declared its support to Mohan George, the candidate fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Nilambur byelection. Under the leadership of BDJS State president Tushar Vellappally, the party will organise family gatherings and public conventions as part of its campaign strategy in Nilambur. A resolution passed at the meeting also called for the full involvement of all State council members in the election campaign. Paddy farmers' issues The council also resolved to address the growing concerns of paddy farmers by organising a protest on June 7. The primary demand will be to raise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy to ₹3,500 a quintal. Addressing the meeting, Mr. Vellappally criticised the State Agriculture department for its failure to extend timely and sufficient support to farmers and announced that the BDJS would soon launch a strong protest on the issue. He welcomed the Union government's record hike in the MSP and the rollout of a loan scheme under the Kisan Credit Card programme, offering credit to farmers at an interest rate of just 4%. Party State vice-president K. Padmakumar presided. Legal cell As part of its organisational expansion, the BDJS has formed a legal cell aimed at supporting the welfare of lawyers and coordinating related activities. Sinil Mundappally was elected chairman of the cell, while P.S. Jyothis was appointed its convener.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Central Travancore sees another political push with an eye on Catholic, farmer votes
With an eye on the influential Catholic vote bank of Central Travancore, a region in the midst of significant political churn, yet another political initiative with apparent leanings towards the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be taking shape in Kottayam. Two years after a failed attempt to launch a political party, a group of former Kerala Congress leaders have joined hands to revive their plans, ostensibly with the backing of the BJP. The new movement, which has also garnered the support of a section of Catholic bishops, aims at resonating with the farming community of Central Travancore, which constitutes the core support base of the two major Kerala Congress (KC) factions. As part of it, a farmers' conference was held in Kottayam on Friday under the banner of the Kerala Farmers' Federation. The federation is chaired by George J. Mathew, a former Kerala Congress chairman and former legislator from Kanjirappally. The event was organised with the support of P.M. Mathew, former legislator from Kaduthuruthy, and M.V. Mani. The trio is expected to address the media on Saturday to formally outline the objectives of their emerging movement. A resolution passed at the conference has also authorised the leadership to 'fight for change, address the needs of the people and take timely decisions and actions.' Mum on a new party Amidst the speculation, the leaders have remained guarded about the possibility of launching a new political party. Instead, they maintained that the Kerala Farmers' Federation was established in 2016 with George J. Mathew as chairman with a commitment to protecting farmers' rights and interests. Mr. Mathew, on his part, declined to confirm any political ambitions but said more details would be revealed on Saturday. Notably, Major Archbishop Emeritus Mar George Cardinal Alencherry and Mar Mathew Arackal, former Bishop of Kanjirappally, were invited to the conference but did not attend. BDJS and CASA The presence of BDJS national president Thushar Vellappally at the event has further stoked speculation. Observers suggest the initiative may be aimed at mobilising BJP-aligned Christian support in a bid to eventually integrate into the NDA fold. The organisers are also said to be seeking support from Christian organisations such as Christian Association and Alliance For Social Action (CASA). A similar attempt had been made in April 2023, when the National Progressive Party (NPP) was formally launched with V.V. Augustine as its chairman, Johnny Nellore as working chairman, and Mathew Stephen as general secretary. However, the party's momentum waned quickly and Mr. Nellore stepped away from the project within a few months.
