Kerala Congress party leader objects over new party’s symbol

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala unit of the Congress party has objected to the planned use of an election logo featuring folded-hands by a political party launched by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam.

“The ‘folded-hands’ symbol is similar to the ‘hand’ symbol of the Congress party,” said Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president, V.M. Sudheeran, adding it “cannot be allowed under any circumstance”.

SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan had launched his community’s political outfit, the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) party, last week, and announced that the party’s symbol would be folded hands.

Opposing the SNDP’s plan, Sudheeran said on Wednesday that his party would approach the Election Commission, if required, to oppose that move.

Sudheeran said his party would counter any move by any party to inject communalism into the state.

His comments come in the backdrop of the SNDP not only launching a political party but also warming up to the Bharatiya Janata Party. If the tie-up strengthens from the initial understanding that the two parties had during the recent civic elections, the BDJS-BJP combine may be able to give strong competition to the two traditional fronts in Kerala.

The ruling United Democratic Front and the Opposition Left Democratic Front have for decades alternated in power in Kerala. After its successful campaign in the Lok Sabha election in 2014, the BJP is hoping that it can make inroads in Kerala in partnership with the SNDP Yogam that represents the Ezhava community.

In the civic polls held last month, the BJP-SNDP combine was able to put up a creditable show, and the two partners are expected to put up a strong fight in the upcoming assembly elections in the state in 2016.