Kerala CPM Worried over OBC Ezhava Vote Shift

Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling CPM is worried over the shift in its traditional OBC Ezhava vote bank in Kerala, witnessed during the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The Marxists have been alarmed by the significant rise in the BJP's vote share in constituencies such as Attingal, Alappuzha, and the Malabar region. It appears that a considerable portion of Ezhava votes has moved to the BJP, a shift that has been acknowledged by the CPM in its election analysis.

The CPM is particularly disturbed by the intense campaign led by SNDP General Secretary Vellapally Natesan against the Muslim community. Vellapally Natesan, who also chairs the Navodhana Samrakshana Samithi—a committee formed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to uphold secularism, social justice, and brotherhood—has made several inflammatory remarks, much to the embarrassment of the ruling party. These comments have provoked strong reactions from numerous Muslim organisations, which have called on the government to rein in the vocal community leader.

Suprabhatham, the mouthpiece of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul-Ulama, an association of eminent Sunni scholars, on Friday accused Vellapally Natesan of spreading communal propaganda at the behest of the RSS. He is spreading Islamophobia, the editorial alleged.

While Vellapally Natesan accuses both the ruling and opposition parties of Muslim appeasement, he defends Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, asserting that the election results do not reflect on his government's performance. The CPM-led LDF faced a significant defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, winning only one out of 20 seats. This substantial loss is broadly seen as an indication of public dissatisfaction with the Chief Minister's alleged arrogance and the corruption accusations surrounding his daughter besides a host of other factors.

Many hold the view that Vellapally, known for frequently initiating communal campaigns, prefers to identify as a "Left" fellow traveller. He aims to maintain the chief minister's favour, which is thought to be in exchange for the government's lenient approach to the alleged microfinance corruption case against him.

Vellapally also maintains a direct link with the BJP through his son, Thushar Vellapally, who is the state convenor of the NDA.

The CPM is understandably wary of Vellapally, who represents the Ezhava community—the largest Hindu group in Kerala, comprising 23 per cent of the state's population. The CPM state secretary was measured in his criticism of Vellapally Natesan on Thursday, discussing the party's strategy to regain the Ezhava votes that may have been swayed by the anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Govindan emphasized that rather than curtailing Vellapally Natesan, the CPM will concentrate on elevating the community members' awareness about the BJP-RSS's communal agenda. The BJP on the other hand wants to consolidate the electoral gains among Ezhava community.

BJP State President K Surendran has stated that his party will not permit the CPM to intimidate Vellapally Natesan or the members of the community. He accuses the Marxists of attempting to suppress the community leader for revealing the truth about Muslim appeasement and for exposing the actions of the ruling party.

With the CPM eager to recover its eroded base before the local body and assembly elections, and the BJP relying on OBCs to enhance its electoral prospects, Kerala's political landscape is poised for a fascinating contest in the coming days.