CM's Vellapally visit raises eyebrows

Thiruvananthapuram: The spectacle of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan leading four of  his Cabinet colleagues to the residence of SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan, the leader of a community organization, has created ripples in political circles as observers see it as against the CPM’s sworn adherence to its class and mass praxis.  

The fact that Mr Natesan is facing a slew of Crime Branch cases for micro finance funds misuse and Vigilance cases for corruption, adds to the party's embarrassment . What has prompted the CM to digress so openly from his party’s ideological formulation against caste and community outfits?     

CPM politburo member M.A. Baby justified the visit in the special circumstances, saying Mr Vijayan’s stepping into the residence of Mr Natesan on the sidelines of the pilgrimage tourism function at Kanichukul-angara Devi temple is not anything majorly significant. It is part of social etiquette, similar to his calling on the Mar Thoma prelate, Philiopos Mar Chrysostom.

 It can also be seen an acknowledgment of the support exte-nded by Mr Natesan during the Sabarimala crisis. Mr Natesan led the Nav-odhana movement “agai-nst the combined onslaug-ht of the rightwing allian-ce of the UDF, the BJP and the NSS. Mr Vijayan is justified in preventing more accretion to this regressive and unholy alliance”, said Mr Baby.

But a CPM leader said the party bosses had abandoned the party’s class approach in favour of corporate culture. They think new opportunities presented by the new media, including TV, would suffice to retain the party’s sway over society. None of the CPM chief ministers- E.M.S Nambo-odiripad, E.K. Nayanar, V.S. Achuthanandan- had called on SNDP Yogam general secretaries at their residences and detracted from the party’s approach to caste-based organizations.   

Political critic Umesh Babu said the CM’s visit and the tourism package of '5 crore is in return “for favours received”. Mr Vijayan, who reckons Mr Natesan to be a community mogul, prefers to be in his elite club. It were better if he had made some provisions for institutions set up by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. This gesture adds to the myth about Mr Natesan’s electoral clout although several politicians have exposed, taking him head on and winning elections in his home turf.

Social commentator B.R.P Bhaskar wondered how the CM could sup with Mr Natesan, whose son Tushar Vellapally runs his pro-NDA Bharat Dharma Jana Sena from under the same roof. They pretend to profess different ideologies but are intricately locked in common interests to perpetuate their hold. “I don’t think Mr Vijayan is ignorant of the Vellapally double game. I’m baffled”, said Mr Bhaskar.

In retrospect, this looks like an extension of the policy to placate minorities, starting with Chief Minister E.M.S. Nambo-odiripad in 1967. Mr Vijayan cosies up to Mr Natesan, exposing how desperate the CM is about the CPM’s prospects in the LS polls.

The fact is the SNDP Yogam cadre have been a discerning lot, clearly demarcating interests of the Yogam and their commitment to the political cause close to their he-arts. In the best years of Yogam, Congress leader general secretary R Sankar could not romp home in Kollam despite being the Yogam general secretary himself. “So this hype about Yogam clout is a myth”, said Mr Bhaskar.

BJP not amused

The BJP is not amused by the visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vija-yan and four of his cabinet ministers to the house Vellapally Nates-an at Kanichukulang-ara on Monday. The vi-sit may adversely affect the prospects of the NDA in which the BDJS floated by Vellapally wi-th his son Tushar Vella-pally in 2015 is an ally.

Though Vellapally had been calling the shots in the BDJS, he had said that he never interfered in its affairs as Tushar, the vice-chairman of SNDP Yogam and president of BDJS, has the final say. BJP state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai told DC that the chief minister was free to meet anyone in the state. “Their visit to Vellapally’s home will not make any difference in the state’s political scenario, though KPCC chief Mullapally Ramachandran had criticised the CM,” he said.
However, another senior BJP leader told DC that there were several attempts to spoil the BJP- BDJS ties.

“Vellapally is taking sweet revenge against the NSS leadership aft-er the Sabarimala issue cropped up. Pinarayi and his government are taking advantage of it. Though Ezhavas form the single largest community with 28 percent representation, there are a large number of Ezhavas in the CPM as well," he said. The BJP feels that the Sabari-mala issue will figure prominently in the elections and not whether Pinarayi had provided '3. 33 crore to Kanich-ukulangara temple.