Thiruvananthapuram: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala unit's hope of forging a broad third front in the state with the support of social organisations and like- minded parties has suffered a severe jolt with the Nair Service Society and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, two potential allies, out rightly rejecting the party's overtures.

The NSS general secretary P K Narayana Panikkar had in a statement issued at Kottayam recently said that they would never go for such an experiment. "The NSS will follow its avowed policy of keeping equal distance from all political parties. We have not held any talks with BJP leaders on forming a third front," he said.

The SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan also rejected the BJP's move, saying there was no relevance for a third front in the state. The Ezhava community would stand to lose if the Yogam backed the BJP, which was not a force to reckon with, he said in a statement, on September 18.

The BJP, which could not open its account in the Assembly in the last elections despite a its best effort, is now left with little option for their dream to materialise.

The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) had alleged that the BJP had engaged in a secret tie-up with the UDF in the last elections to ensure the victory of its state president C K Padmanabhan from Manjeswaram constituency. The UDF however won the seat with Padmanabhan coming a poor third.

The BJP decision to find new partners for a third front was mooted during the recent visit of party president Venkaiah Naidu to the state.

PTI