Saffron worry for CPM in kerala

More than a decade later, the question is back in the state’s political discourse. CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan recently expressed concern over certain SNDP shakhas allowing Sangh Parivar rabble-rousers to use their platform. He accused the powerful community leaders of facilitating the saffron brigade’s entry for their vested interests.

The CPM, which still enjoys the support of majority Ezhavas, has tried to put up a brave face by playing down the Modi factor. But the Bengal trend where the BJP has succeeded in pushing the party to third place at many places has given it a jolt. It knows Sangh Parivar’s gains here will be mainly at its cost.

“Sangh Parivar is trying to expand its base all over the country. It is using caste and community organisations for this purpose. In Haryana, the party wooed Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of Dera Sachcha Sauda during the Lok Sabha polls and got support from Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. In Kerala, they are trying to infiltrate into NSS and SNDP. But I don’t know whether these organisations will facilitate them. The SNDP played a historic role in the social reform movement. Similarly, Mannathu Padmanabhan removed his surname Pillai as part of social reform,’’ said CPM politburo member M.A. Baby.

The SNDP leadership, however, denied the CPM charge that the Sangh Parivar was making inroads into the organisation. SNDP Yogam vice-president Tushar Vellapally said the CPM could not blame anyone but itself if members of Ezhava community were deserting the party.

“There must be a feeling among the CPM workers belonging to the community that they have not been given their due. So there is no point in blaming the SNDP for the exodus from the party,’’ he said.

But political observers see the possibility of a section of Ezhavas shifting towards the BJP. “The OBC factor might work among Ezhavas. You cannot expect a community to stay put with a particular party always. A powerful middle class has emerged among Ezhavas which is not particularly inclined towards anyone or have total contempt for any ideology. This section can easily back the Modi-led BJP,’’ said Prof J. Prabhash, Political Science Department, Kerala University.

So can the CPM check the trend ? Many believe that instead of addressing Ezhavas as a block, the CPM needed to focus on the youth cutting across caste and religion. “Gone are the days when every youth was a communist. Today, many of them are consumerists with sky-rocketing ambitions. The CPM, as a principal political party, should hold out hope to this section,’’ said Prof. Prabhash.

Former associate editor of Deshabhimani, Appukuttan Valikkunnu, views the ‘Modi factor’ as the political tactics of Sangh Parivar to make inroads into Kerala. “They are trying to reach out to Ezhavas, dalits and fishermen communities projecting the backward caste leader,’’ he said.

But according to him, it will be difficult for the CPM to prevent people from crossing over to the saffron camp. “People are asking if the CPM can take Modi Vichar Manch activists into the partyfold, then what’s wrong in the Marxists crossing over to the Modi camp,’’ he said.

However, he cautioned that if the Sangh Parivar succeeded in gaining a foothold in community organisations, it would be harmful for the secular fabric of the state in the long run.

Though there have been reports of SNDP nurturing political ambitions, the leadership denies it. “We are not interested in entering the political fray. We don’t have any political ambitions. Our only aim is to get the demands of our community accepted from the powers- that- be irrespective of political ideology or affilitatoin,’’ said Mr Tushar Vellapally.

He said the SNDP stood for safeguarding the interests of the community members, especially the poor sections which had been denied their rights.

Veteran CPM leader P.K. Gurudasan said any attempt by the NSS or the SNDP to be part of an ideology that divided people and religious lines could prove disastrous not just for the communities but society as a whole.