In February 2014, as Bharatiya Janata Party's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addressed a conference organised by the Kerala Pulayar Mahasabha, the presence of another man on stage had created much intrigue. Showering Modi with praise was Vellapally Natesan, the leader of the Sree Narayana Guru Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), a socio-political group that represents the backward Ezhava community, one of the most influential communities in Kerala.
Vellapally Natesan With Narendra Modi later in May 2014
Natesan's inclination towards the BJP had started even before 2014, but it was during that event that the shift became more obvious. More than a year later, in July 2015 he made it clear that the SNDP is ready for a tactical electoral understanding with the BJP as they feel aligning with the BJP will serve the interests of the Ezhava community well.
Natesan’s announcement has created a stir and has also set in motion a chain of political events in Kerala at a time when all parties especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are fighting hard to retain the Ezhava vote bank. Leaders of political parties are accusing SNDP for being power hungry and catering to their narrow self-interests.
The Ezhava community, a backward but highly influential community in Kerala with a population of around 60 lakh, constitutes a large chunk of the total Hindu population in the state. The community can swing the results of elections in many constituencies in Alapuzha, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts and is thus a significant number for all the political parties to woo. CPI(M) has had the support of the Nair and Ezhava communities, as the party has several strong leaders from these communities. The party also gave Kerala the first CPI(M) Ezhava Chief Minister, V S Achuthananthan.
However, over the years, the CPI (M) has failed to nurture another strong Ezhava leader who can match the stature of VS Achutanandan. The party fared poorly in the Aruvikara by-polls, when most of the votes went to Congress, and the BJP also saw a rise in its vote share. What has further added to the erosion of the Ezhava support base for the CPI (M) is the ongoing battle between the ex-Chief Minister Achuthananthan and the party leadership. Every time the party censures Achuthananthan, it further loses its grip on the Ezhava vote bank.
The Ezhava and Nair communities have been at loggerheads for years, fighting for political patronage. It is at this juncture, when the CPI (M)’s chances of winning elections in Kerala look slim, that the BJP is trying to establish its presence and become a party of choice for Hindus, focusing on the Ezhavas and upper caste Nairs.
During an event organized to release the book “Guro Porukkuka” on Monday CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan said, “SNDP’s move to attach themselves to a party that believes in a single-religion country is not in line with the original ideals of Sree Narayana guru.” Natesan however says he is not answerable to the the CPI(M) or its leaders. “For those who consider BJP as a Hindu party, Narendra Modi's recent performance in UAE is the best answer. Look at how he behaved in a Muslim country. I had no political intentions when I met Modi. As I represent a community, I met the present ruling government to lobby for the needs of my community. It is my duty to do so. Earlier I had met EK Nayanar, K Karunakaran, and many other leaders of all the parties at their office and residence, but nobody raised any allegations, then why now?” he asked.
For the SNDP, pressure has not been building up just from political parties, but also from another community organization. The Sivagiri Mutt which follows the ideals of Sree Narayana Guru and engages in several socially-oriented activities, has said that SNDP has moved away from the core teachings of Sree Narayana guru. Sree Narayana guru was a reformer who propagated original and new perspectives about temples. Recently, the Mutt passed a resolution condemning of what it called the politicization of Narayana Guru's teachings. Although it was aimed at Natesan, no names were named. The Mutt said that the politicization "was a move to sabotage the image of the Sivagiri Mutt and the guru.”
The Mutt and the SNDP have had a history of ideological clashes. Natesan, the general secretary of SNDP criticized the Mutt for appeasing the minority by not supporting the Ghar Wapsi movement. Later, they stood on opposite ends when when Natesan supported the liquor ban in Kerala. In his characteristic style, Natesan dismissed the accusation. "None of the saints from the Mutt have directly made any allegations against me. Let those who are criticizing me reveal their identity and I will answer them. I am not answerable to anonymous allegations. There are 17 saints in the Mutt and 17 respective groups," he said. In this situation it is the BJP which has become the focal point for the rest of the political parties as the "National Party" has targeted a very influential support base in Kerala for its future growth in the state.