Seat for Latin Catholic, SNDP wants a Hindu

The Lok Sabha by-election to Ernakulam will prove a testing ground for the SNDP Yogam which is keen to enter the electoral fray with a Hindu...

The Lok Sabha by-election to Ernakulam will prove a testing ground for the SNDP Yogam which is keen to enter the electoral fray with a Hindu candidate in a constituency reserved for Latin Catholics. Interestingly, Yogam leaders insist the Kerala Janakeeya Vedi which they hope to float soon will not be an electoral outfit.

While the Yogam leadership is not ready for any alliance with BJP or the RSS, it is ready to support any Hindu candidate if acceptable to all communities in a constituency where Ezhava and Dheevara voters can tilt the balance.

SNDP Yogam president Vidyasagar said: ‘‘Give us a Hindu candidate and we will prove that this Lok Sabha constituency should not be reserved for Latin Catholics as it is not at all a Latin Catholic constituency at all. Once united, Ezhavas, Nairs, Viswakarmas and Dheevaras can make a difference. If we are provided with a good candidate, we are ready to prove our strength,’’ he said.

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Ezhavas, Thiyyas and Ballias constitute over 30 per cent of the electorate. The strength of the Dheevara community is 6.5 per cent. The SNDP is wooing the Dheevara community now.

Kalam wrote to EC offering to defer Kerala visit

Aasha Khosa
New Delhi, August 21

It was a letter from President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s office that made the Election Commissioner quickly change the bypoll date for Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat.

Sources said a day after it had announced the poll schedule, the Election Commission received a letter from Rashtrapati Bhawan pointing out the polling date was clashing with Kalam’s visit to Kerala.

The President will join the birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamayee in Kerala. The celebrations begin on September 26, which, as per the earlier schedule would have seen Ernakulam going to polls.

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Sources said Kalam had offered to cancel his visit, in case the EC had a problem changing the dates. However, the Commission rescheduled the poll to September 23.

A senior EC functionary said since the administration would be tied down with the visits of the President and also the Deputy PM, who is joining the birthday celebrations, it was not feasible to hold elections on that day.