About 30 relatives of former President KR Narayanan, including the daughter of his paternal uncle and her family, have left the CPI(M) and joined the BJP protesting the disrespect and negligence shown by the Marxists and the Congress-led State Government to his memorial at Uzhavoor, his native place in Kerala’s Kottayam district.
The members of Narayanan’s Kocheri family received their BJP memberships from State party vice-president PM Velayudhan on Thursday evening at a function presided over by BJP’s Kottayam district chief Ettumanoor Radhakrishnan. Some persons belonging to the Kerala Congress (M), a constituent of the ruling Congress-led UDF, also joined the BJP at the function. “When we were facing difficulties, nobody came forward to provide us with any help. Therefore, we decided to go with those who were ready to assist us,” said Seethalakshmi, daughter of Ayyappan master, brother of former President’s father. “The disregard shown by those who should have helped us in the matter of the memorial pained us,” she said.
The former President’s relatives decided to leave the CPI(M) and join the BJP after the continuous failure of the Marxist leaders to stop certain elements who were trying to encroach upon the mud-road leading to Narayanan’s memorial situated in a plot adjacent to Seethalakshmi’s house. Though Narayanan belonged to the Congress, most of the members of his Kocheri family were activists or sympathizers of the CPI(M). Seethalakshmi had contested the 2010 civic election as a CPI(M) candidate to the Block panchayat. “It is such a close relationship that has come to an end now,” said a family member.
“We have not so far asked for any help from the CPI(M) or the lDF. But we could not agree with their negligence towards an issue related to the former President’s memorial,” said Vasukkuttan, Seethalakshmi’s husband, adding that the memorial deserved to be protected. The local CPI(M) leadership has not responded to the development.