RSS ideologue leaves BJP red-faced with claim of secret understanding with Left

Former editor of the Organiser and senior functionary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) R Balashankar’s statement that he suspected a secret understanding between the ruling CPI (M) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has left the saffron party red-faced and fuming.

Balashankar had been tipped to be the BJP candidate from Chengannur assembly constituency in Alapuzha district but after he did not make the cut he claimed that his name was omitted by the state leaders “who were working as an organized mafia.”

He said he suspected a discreet understanding between the BJP and the Left Front in at least three constituencies - Chenganoor, Aranmula and Ranni.

“The BJP which has a sizeable presence in first two seats may help the CPI (M) for the favour it will be receiving in Ranni where the party’s Kerala unit president K Surendran is contesting,” he said.

Surendran is also contesting from Mancheswaram in north Kerala.

“The BJP has no future in the state if it goes ahead with the present leadership. Party leaders are quite envious about my rapport with several outfits including the Nair Service Society and many Christian denominations. I had a sure chance of victory but state leaders never wanted it,” he said in Alapuzha.

He claimed the central leadership of the party was keen on his candidature but state leaders somehow prevailed over it. The Malankara Orthodox Church had recently urged its followers to vote for Balashankar for saving the 1000-year-old church at Cheppad in Alapuzha district from demolition while widening the national highway. He reportedly brought it to the notice of Union minister Nitin Gadkari and alignment was tweaked to save the church.

But Surendran termed Balashankar’s allegations a baseless. “Some of his allegations are wild and they don’t deserve any reply. He was never in the race and we did not intervene either,” he said.

The Congress was quick to latch on to Balashankar’s statement and said its charges have been proved right. “We have been talking about a secret understanding between the two parties, so central agencies are going slow in many cases including gold smuggling. Now a senior RSS leader has endorsed it,” said opposition leader Ramesh Cheniithala.

However Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan denied these charges. “When the Left Democratic Front is set to storm back to power our opponents are coming out with new theories. Balashankar’s revelation is one of them. In coming days also you can hear such baseless theories,” he said adding the Left was steadfastly opposing the saffron forces and it did not need a certificate from the Congress.