Hindu forward communities in Kerala launch new political party

Hindu Forward Communities in Kerala have launched a new political party, the 'Democratic Social Justice Party', aimed at bringing together all communities not covered by caste or religion based reservation.

The party said it draws its support mainly from the Nair community and other related communities represented by Nambiar Samajam, Warrier Samajam, Shaiva Vellala Sangham, who had participated in state-wide preparatory meetings over the last two years in Nilambur, Karukutti, Kalamassery, Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam.

The DSJP said in a statement that it was currently not opposed to the reservation given to other groups.

Ensuring social justice to all, cutting money power in elections, saving the environment, particularly rivers, upholding national interest and pursuing no personal income tax policy with the centre are some of the other objectives of the new party, the party said.

The chief patron of the party is Manjery Bhaskara Pillai, who heads over 100 Malabar Nair Samajam units in north Kerala.

Journalist-turned politician K S R Menon is the president of the party.

Konni Gopakumar, (formerly general secretary of the now defunct NDP) is the general secretary and businessman Mallelil Sreedharan Nair is the treasurer, the party said.

DSJP said it would launch its membership campaign in Aluva on Saturday.

The party was looking forward to put up a strong show in the panchayat elections next year.

The forward communities did not have a strong political platform for the last couple of decades and DSJP will fill that vacuum, the statement said.

In the last state assembly elections, 28 assembly constituencies were won by a margin of less than 5,000 votes and DSJP would be a deciding factor in all of them and many more, the statement said.

The party, which has been given registration by the Election Commission, will not be entitled to an election symbol, but will get priority over the independents, it added.