They belong to the same party, but work on opposite ends of the spectrum and are known to despise each other. The animosity between CPI (M) leaders VS Achutanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan is the stuff of legend in Kerala, but it seems the entry of a third character in the political dynamics has created an unusual camaraderie between VS and Pinarayi.
The third person is SNDP Yogam leader Vellapally Natesan whose recent diatribe against VS has taken political discourse in the state to a new low. His comments calling VS a ‘Shikandi’ (eunuch) has forced Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan to come out in the open in support of VS.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Pinarayi Vijayan has demanded that Vellapally Natesan who has ‘borrowed RSS’s tongue’ should stop insulting VS Achutanandan and others. Pinarayi Vijayan says it is evident how low Vellapally Natesan has stooped and his arrogance has grown after ties with the RSS.
Vellapally Natesan, a leader of the Ezhavas, has been at loggerheads with Congress and Left leaders in the state ever since he made his loyalty to the BJP and RSS clear.
VS Achutanandan had alleged last week that Vellapally Natesan had taken bribes for appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff in colleges run by the Sree Narayana Guru trust.
Retaliating to this, Vellapally Natesan said,”Not long ago, the CPM had even suggested capital punishment for VS, and he was excluded from all party programmes for months. Now, they have fielded him against me, just like Shikhandi was fielded against Bheeshma (in Mahabharatha).”
Vellapally Natesan also hinted at the ongoing battle between the two Left leaders and said “VS as a ‘fighter cock’ along with Pinarayi Vijayan are waging a battle against the SNDP. If frisked, knives to kill each other could be found from the hips of VS and Pinarayi.”