PC George, an independent MLA from Kerala, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday. With this development, the number of NDA MLAs in the state assembly has gone up to two. George is an MLA from Poonjar.
George-led Kerala Janapaksham party joined the BJP-led front on Wednesday, giving a major boost to the prospects of the BJP as it hopes to attract a good number of votes in the Christian-dominated central Kerala, especially Pathanamthitta.
George announced the development at a press conference at the Pathanamthitta Press Club on Wednesday in the presence of Y. Satyakumar, BJP general secretary, and P S Sreedharan Pillai, BJP state president.
George said the KJ(S) took the decision to join the NDA following the Centre’s “positive approach towards the rubber sector”.
According to George, he is deeply impressed by the central government’s, led by Prime minister Narendra Modi, welfare schemes for the poor and his confidence that the NDA policies, including the proposed Rubber Act, would benefit the state’s farmers.
He said the NDA central leadership had promised help to defeat the LDF government’s move to introduce the Church Act.
George enjoys the support of Christian settlers in Kottayam-Pathanamthitta-Idukki belt. He says that he expects the NDA to win four seats that include Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Thrissur in the Lok Sabha elections.
It is noteworthy that George had in September last year, while commenting on the issue of the nun rape case in which Roman Catholic Bishop Mulakkal is an accused, had called the nun a “prostitute”.
“Is there any doubt that the nun is a prostitute? 12 times it was pleasure, 13th time it became a rape? Where was she when it happened 12 times? Whom is she telling this to? Why did she not complain on the first time it happened?” George had said while questioning the nun.
The comment had sparked a widespread outrage with the National Commission for Women hitting out at PC George for below-the-belt comments.