KOTTAYAM: In a significant development that could redraw political equations in the state, the Nair Service Society (NSS) has moved to end its more than five-year-long strained relationship with Chief Minister V D Satheesan by inviting him to inaugurate the 150th Mannam Jayanthi celebrations to be held at its headquarters in Perunna on January 2, 2027.
The invitation marks a major shift in the organisation’s approach towards Satheesan and has generated considerable political interest.
With Satheesan accepting the invitation, the proposed visit, which would be his first to the NSS headquarters since assuming office as chief minister, signals a thaw in relations.
The development assumes significance against the backdrop of NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair’s repeated criticism of Satheesan.
Speaking to TNIE, Sukumaran Nair confirmed that he had spoken to Satheesan over the phone and personally invited him to the Mannam Jayanthi celebrations. He said the differences between the two had been resolved through discussions and that there were no outstanding issues.
“The NSS had some issues with the chief minister over a statement made by him more than five years ago. However, he explained the circumstances in which the statement was made and we found his explanation satisfactory,” Sukumaran Nair said.
The NSS gesture is being viewed as a significant political boost for Satheesan at a time when he is facing mounting challenges both within and outside the Congress.
The organisation, which had frequently taken a critical stand against him, has now extended an olive branch, potentially strengthening his position in the state’s political landscape.
For Satheesan, the invitation offers an opportunity to rebuild ties with an influential community organisation and project himself as a leader capable of reaching out across traditional political divides.
However, the rapprochement does not necessarily signal a complete realignment of the NSS’s political preferences. While the organisation has moved away from its prolonged confrontational approach towards Satheesan, it is understood to have reservations about certain aspects of his administration.
“There is no politics in inviting Satheesan to Mannam Jayanthi. He is being invited in his capacity as the Chief Minister of Keralam,” Nair said. The NSS has also invited senior Congress leader and Health Minister K Muraleedharan to deliver the keynote address at the celebrations.
Muraleedharan’s perceived proximity to Satheesan and his support for the chief minister during difficult political situations add another dimension to the invitation.
The move is also being viewed in political circles as strategic amid the ongoing power struggle within the Congress, particularly in view of the NSS’s close ties with senior leader Ramesh Chennithala.
The NSS leadership’s gesture assumes added significance against the backdrop of the ongoing tussle within the Congress over control of the KPCC.
Differences over an electricity contract involving Electricity Minister and KPCC president Sunny Joseph have further complicated the political equations, even as AICC general secretary K C Venugopal is reportedly working to consolidate his influence in the state unit by positioning a trusted confidant for the KPCC president’s post.
Significant boost for Satheesan
The NSS gesture is being viewed as a significant political boost for Satheesan at a time when he is facing mounting challenges both within and outside the Congress.
For Satheesan, the invitation offers an opportunity to rebuild ties with an influential community organisation and project himself as a leader capable of reaching out across traditional political divides.