THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the Kerala High Court disqualified Vellappally Natesan as the general secretary of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, the veteran leader now faces a growing political and organisational battle with significantly reduced authority.
The court verdict has come at a crucial time for the community leader. Ahead of assembly elections, leaders of influential community organisations usually enjoy considerable freedom to influence political parties according to their own preferences. The latest development, however, has sharply weakened Natesan’s position.
Known for his outspoken style, Natesan has often been at the centre of political debates in Kerala. Almost every politician in the state has experienced the sharpness of his tongue. Being reduced to a defenceless community leader would likely have been the last situation he wanted to face. His setback comes only weeks after the Union government honoured him with the Padma Bhushan.
The court’s decision is widely seen as a major blow to Natesan, who has been a dominant figure in the powerful community organisation for nearly three decades. The position of general secretary has been central to his influence within the Yogam and in the wider socio-political landscape of the state.
With his disqualification, Natesan is expected to lose much of this influence and may face increasing pressure from rival factions within the organisation.
“Interestingly, the fall of Natesan has found more takers than sympathisers. He represents the upper layer of the community, whereas a large section of people belonging to the OBC category still remain socially deprived. However, the development will have political implications,” said political analyst Ajith Sreenivasan.
The Yogam has historically played a significant role in shaping socio-political discourse in Kerala. However, critics say that after Natesan took over as general secretary, its objectives gradually moved away from the philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru and the organisation’s earlier secular positions.
At one stage, Natesan openly clashed with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in an attempt to expand his influence in Malabar among the Theeya community, considered a strong base of the Communist movement. Later, he shifted his focus to attacking several political leaders. Many of the leaders he publicly criticised were later elected to both the assembly and parliament.
Political observers say the party likely to feel relieved by the court verdict is the Indian National Congress. Natesan had been engaged in a war of words with Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan and other Congress leaders, accusing the party of indulging in Muslim appeasement.
“Congress will probably be the only party relieved by this court intervention. Natesan’s allegations of Muslim appeasement have become a headache for the Congress leadership, especially in the run up to the assembly elections. It is no secret that his statements have influenced a section of the Hindu community," said Ajith Sreenivasan.
According to observers, the political beneficiaries of Natesan’s attacks on the Congress had been both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which had also accused the Congress of supporting Muslim extremist organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami. With Natesan losing his position, the Congress may find it easier to counter its political opponents. At the same time, the party has decided not to provoke him, fearing that he might try to turn the situation into political sympathy.
Both the BJP and the CPM are closely watching the developments. Natesan has maintained cordial relations with both parties. His closeness to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has drawn criticism from several quarters, particularly over the latter’s silence regarding Natesan’s controversial remarks against the Muslim community.
The High Court has also directed the state government to appoint the required number of directors to hold office temporarily. Political observers believe this may keep Natesan politically close to the CPM.
The BJP, meanwhile, had benefited politically from its association with Natesan after the formation of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena under his leadership. The party’s president, Thushar Vellappally, who is Natesan’s son, heads the organisation, which is a constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. This alliance had helped the BJP overcome its long-standing political isolation among sections of the SNDP base.
The development is also expected to have wider political implications because the SNDP Yogam holds influence among large sections of the Ezhava community. As political parties move into the crucial phase of candidate selection for the upcoming assembly elections, there are concerns that the absence of an influential leader like Natesan could affect the prospects of backward caste leaders.
The SNDP Yogam has long accused the Congress of neglecting OBC representation in candidate selection and organisational appointments. Even this time, criticism has emerged within the state Congress that OBC representation in South Kerala may remain relatively low.
The loss of the post also puts Natesan in a difficult position at a time when internal dissent and leadership questions, including allegations of dynastic politics, are already surfacing.
“Vellappally Natesan, who will soon turn 90 and may have to step down unceremoniously, might perhaps have only one regret, that he could not make his son the next general secretary of the SNDP Yogam,” Ajith said.
In the coming days, intensified political manoeuvring is expected within the organisation as different factions assess their options following the court’s intervention. How Natesan responds to the setback could determine the future leadership course of the SNDP Yogam.