With an eye on the influential Catholic votebank of Central Travancore, a new political party, National Farmers Party (NFP), has been launched in Kerala under the leadership of former Kerala Congress chairman George J Mathew.
The new party, which has also garnered the support of a section of Catholic bishops, aims at resonating with the farming community of Central Travancore, which constitutes the core support base of the two major Kerala Congress factions.
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George J Mathew, former Kerala Congress chairman, has been elected as the chairman of the NFP. Former MLA MV Mani is the vice president, while former MLA PM Mathew will be the general secretary. It is said that the NFP is being formed with the backing of the BJP and will join the BJP-led NDA.
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The NFP has announced plans to contest the upcoming elections. The party seeks to rally support from farmers, particularly those in Central Travancore—a region with a strong agricultural base and major Catholic population.
Speaking to media persons in Kottayam on Saturday, NFP chairman George J Mathew said the party was born out of dissatisfaction with existing political formations. “We cannot rule out aligning with any front. Both major alliances are deceiving farmers. All political parties are neglecting farmers,” he said.
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