Ezhava leader Vellapally Natesan meets Modi

Amid BJP's efforts to tie up with Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), an organisation of backward Ezhava community in Kerala, its General Secretary Vellapally Natesan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi tonight.
Though Natesan told reporters after the 30-minute meeting that politics was not discussed, the meeting is widely seen as a step forward by SNDP towards the saffron party ahead of the upcoming local body elections and assembly polls due next year.
BJP President Amit Shah was also present during his meeting with the Prime Minster.
Natesan said there was space for a third front in Kerala as an alternative to Congress-led UDF and CPI-M headed LDF. He also alleged that both these Fronts follow policy of minority appeasement.

There was need for a Hindu unity in the state, he added.
With regard to the meeting, he said it was very cordial and they discussed development issues related to Kerala.

The situation of the state was also brought to the notice of the Prime Minister, he said.
Natesan said the Prime Minister promised that he would come for unveiling the statue of former Kerala chief minister late R Sankar. The Prime Minister also assured that there would not be any change in the present reservation system, he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress and CPI(M) in Kerala slammed Natesan for "cosying up" with BJP, and said his efforts to take SNDP to the Sangh Parivar camp would not succeed.

Attacking Natesan, KPCC President V M Sudheeran said attempting to join hands with the Sangh Parivar was a "clear disrespect" to Sree Narayana Guru, who founded SNDP.
History would not pardon them for surrendering the Guru's teachings and messages, Sudheeran added.
CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Natesan's move to take SNDP to the Sangh Parivar camp would be defeated by Guru's followers.
"People with different political thinking are in SNDP and Natesan has all right to even become BJP state president. But what we are opposing is his attempt to play politics by using SNDP position. We will continue to oppose it," he added.

BJP, with an aim to have political foothold in the state, was wooing SNDP and as part of its effort to cement its ties. Amit Shah had met Natesan recently.
Though BJP's vote percentage has increased in recent times in Kerala, the party has failed to break the bi-polar politics of UDF and LDF and win any Assembly or Parliament seat from the state.