Kerala Politics: Move To Unite Hindu Communities In Kerala Fails To Take Off

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The Nair Service Society’s (NSS) sudden decision to pull out of proposed talks to unite Hindu communities in Kerala has come as a big relief to opposition leader V D Satheeshan and the Congress.

Just a week ago, both SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan and the NSS had spoken about the need for Hindu unity, calling it the need of the hour. However, they launched a fierce attack on Satheeshan, accusing him of criticizing majority community leaders and getting too close to Christian leaders in the state. The unexpected criticism left Satheeshan, who is also the UDF chairman and the face of the opposition in Kerala, and the Congress leadership scurrying for cover.

The SNDP leadership had openly labelled Satheeshan as "anti-Ezhava", a remark many felt was too harsh on the opposition leader, while the NSS chief accused him of double standards toward community leaders.

Satheeshan who has led the UDF to several electoral wins since the 2021 assembly poll setback, including byelections, Lok Sabha polls, and recent local body elections, was baffled by the hostility from these community leaders. The ruling CPM-led LDF on the other hand, seemed to relish seeing the UDF’s top leader under fire.

It is in this backdrop that the announcement of Hindu unity by the SNDP and NSS chiefs, coming just months before the crucial assembly elections, had set political circles buzzing with speculation. Observers had their own takes on this latest attempt at Hindu unity, which had failed to materialise in the past.

Interestingly, proposals for broader unity among major Hindu communities are often met with scepticism by the state’s political formations, and this time was no exception. Any move by the influential OBC Ezhava community, which makes up about 25 per cent of Kerala’s population, is watched keenly in political circles.

A solid traditional support base for the Left parties, a small part of the Ezhava community, has shifted towards the BJP. What worries the CPM is the clear rise in the BJP’s vote share in regions with a large Ezhava presence, notably in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thrissur.

While the BJP works to expand its reach, the Left is trying to stop the loss of votes. Therefore the Left parties are also keeping their fingers crossed over the Hindu unity push of SNDP.

The Nair community, making up about 14 per cent of the population, holds significant influence in Kerala’s politics, economy, and society. Usually, the political parties maintain a cordial relationship with the two major communities, taking extra care not to annoy them.

Though the NSS’s decision has come as a relief to the Congress-led UDF, Satheeshan and veteran leader Ramesh Chennithala said the Congress would not comment on issues involving the two community organizations, noting that they are free to make their own choices and take positions on different matters.

The NSS director board chose to withdraw from the talks on Monday, suspecting the SNDP’s move was a calculated political tactic. The tipping point came when Vellapally decided to send his son, NDA convenor Thushar Vellappally, to negotiate with the NSS. Thushar, who also serves as president of the BDJS—a BJP-led NDA ally in Kerala—sparked further doubts.

While Sukumaran Nair remarked that the SNDP leadership’s political motives were questionable and declared the Hindu unity effort a closed chapter, the SNDP chief held back his remarks, preferring to examine the matter further.