KASARGOD: Congress candidate K. Sudhakaran is banking on the Yadava votes in Uduma based on the UDF government’s policy of providing OEC educational benefits to 30 communities of MBCF (Most backward community federation) in 2012.
Yadava, Vaniya and Chaliya are the prominent castes in MBCF, which falls in the OBC category. Already the UDF has got the green signal in this regard as the MBCF has declared its support to the front. But Akhila Kerala Yadhava Sabha, the organization representing Yadavas, has not publicly endorsed its stand.
“Our state committee meeting held on May 4 decided to return the help extended by any front. In the UDF rule, we had made several demands and the government had responded by providing OEC educational benefits which are of great help” said Akhila Kerala Yadhava Sabha state general secretary M. Ramesh.
The factor holding back the Sabha from openly declaring its pro-UDF tilt is that it would suffer organizationally in Kasargod and Kannur districts. “In places like Karivellur and Thrikaripur, almost all our members are CPM cadres. So we cannot publicly annoy them,” said a Sabha leader. But CPM district secretary K.P. Satheesh Chandran chose to ignore the caste- based vote division.
“People know who had stood for backward castes in Kerala. We are not bothered about Sudhakaran’s manoeuvres,” he said. He alleged that Sudhakaran was playing with caste as he foresees the impending defeat.
In 2011, the local units of the Sabha in Uduma had passed resolutions to vote for CPM’s K. Kunjiraman, who himself is a Yadava.
