THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The five-week-long Sadas witnessed an unfolding of the rigmarole of state politics, involving not just the Left, but also Opposition Congress and IUML. CM Pinarayi talked about anti-Kerala sentiments of the Centre and UDF; Sadas also energised the Left cadre ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election
On November 18, when Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the Nava Kerala Sadas, the motto was the creation of a new Kerala. Coming close on the heels of the Keraleeyam initiative, the outreach programme was projected as an attempt to cash in on the Kerala identity. However, as the Sadas culminates on Saturday, the Left is talking about how Kerala is being ignored by the Sangh Parivar-led Union government.
The five-week-long Sadas witnessed an unfolding of the rigmarole of state politics, involving not just the Left, but also the Opposition Congress and IUML, in addition to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan adding new twists and turns to the tale. Despite UDF boycotting the initiative, a few Congress and League leaders chose to participate in the event.
On the other hand, the Sadas were marked by constant violence throughout its 36 days, with mostly Youth Congress and KSU workers at the receiving end. The clashes kept taking new turns, with an open thrashing of KSU/YC activists by DYFI workers, preventive custody and the police cutting a sorry figure. Though the Sadas lost its sheen midway, the governor-government tussle towards the end brought attention back to it.
As the programme ends, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been talking about anti-Kerala sentiments — from the Centre and the Opposition UDF. With the Lok Sabha poll just three months away, the Left was able to set a political narrative in the state through Sadas. It was also able to energise its cadre ahead of the election making ample use of government machinery.
In many ways, the governor-government standoff could well be termed as a silver lining for the Sadas, feels Left commentator N M Pearson.
“Politically, the governor fiasco gave an edge to CPM, as it could portray that only the Left can trump the Sangh Parivar. However, constant violence was a tactical failure. The Congress was left in the lurch. Maybe, realising this, the party has switched to aggressive mode,” he opined. The Left assesses that the Sadas helped improve the state government’s image to a major extent. “The biggest takeaway is that we were able to bring people’s attention to the Centre’s neglect of Kerala, especially on the financial front,” said CPM state secretary M V Govindan.
The Congress, however, is confident it could win back the political space, at least towards the end. Despite lying low for some time, it emerged and made its presence felt. The pitched street fights throughout the state and the tit-for-tat retort by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan helped it to regain its opposition space from Governor Khan, who had somehow temporarily stolen the show from them. The Congress hence has plans to go all out to make a political impact on the final day of the Sadas.
Outreach programme to end today
The Nava Kerala Sadas, which saw the CM and ministers touring all 14 districts and holding meetings since November 18, will culminate on Saturday with gatherings for five assembly constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram.
The day will begin with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and ministers meeting invitees from Kovalam, Nemom, Kazhakoottam, Vattiyoorkavu and Thiruvananthapuram constituencies at the RDR Convention Centre in Edapazhinji, followed by a media briefing by the CM.
The first Sadas meeting of the day will be held at the ground near the Indian Oil Petrol Pump, Vizhinjam in the Kovalam constituency. It will be followed by a meeting at Poojappura ground at 3 pm and Greenfield Stadium in Karyavattom at 4.30 pm. A joint meeting for Thiruvananthapuram and Vattiyoorkavu constituencies scheduled at Central Polytechnic College in Vattiyoorkavu at 6 pm will mark the end of the outreach programme.
The Sadas in the capital district started on December 20 at Varkala constituency with meetings at Chirayinkeezhu, Attingal, Vamanapuram, Nedumangad, Aruvikara, Kattakkada, Neyyatinkara and Parasala constituencies in subsequent days. Meanwhile, 4,801 petitions were received at the 20 counters set up for the Sadas in the Aruvikkara constituency on Friday.
The petitions have been forwarded to the departments concerned, a statement said. Aruvikkara MLA G Stephen welcomed the CM by presenting a copy of ‘Sambarkakranthi’ written by Shinilal. Representatives of Haritha Karma Sena, besides Anganwadi and ASHA workers, presented the book to ministers.