Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) general secretary Vellapally Natesan’s denigrating statement about Malappuram, a Muslim-majority district in Kerala, drew widespread criticism for allegedly targeting the Muslim community, as he had earlier also been caught using ill words against Muslims; but Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emerged as a defender of Natesan, saying he was ‘misrepresented.’
Amid criticism that the CPI-M government in Kerala under CM Vijayan has been appeasing a certain section while reportedly targeting the Muslim community—leading to accusations of helping the BJP gain ground in the state—his remark that Natesan’s assertion was directed at a political party, referring to the Muslim League, is seen by critics as an attempt to aim for Hindu backward communities’ votes in the Assembly election, which is due next year.
Facing widespread criticism for his comments that suggested the Ezhava communities 'cannot breathe easily' in Malappuram—from different groups spanning social welfare organisations to political parties, including the Congress party, except the BJP, while the Communist Party kept silent—Natesan received unexpected support from Vijayan during a public event held in his hometown, Cherthala.
Vijayan, while addressing a reception organised to mark Natesan’s three-decade leadership of the SNDP, suggested that the Ezhava leader had been misrepresented, claiming his remarks were aimed at a political party rather than a religious community. Though the chief minister urged caution in public remarks, he appeared to rationalise Natesan’s statements as grounded in current political realities.
Natesan, who made the contentious comments earlier this month at a convention in Malappuram, found support from Hindutva outfits and the BJP, while the CPI(M) had until now remained silent. However, with Assembly elections on the horizon, the CPI(M) seems to be recalibrating its political strategy to retain its traditional Ezhava support base, which continues to hold significant influence in the state’s socio-political fabric despite the BDJS, the SNDP’s political wing, aligning with the BJP-led NDA. Natesan’s son, Thushar Vellappally, currently heads the BDJS.
The CPI(M)’s outreach to Natesan comes at a time when the political climate in Kerala is witnessing a shift, with the IUML—an ally of the Congress-led UDF—emerging as a common target for both the Left and the BJP. Muslim organisations, reacting strongly to Natesan’s remarks, had earlier urged the chief minister to avoid participating in the Cherthala event. Still, Vijayan’s decision to attend and speak in support of the Ezhava leader signals a deliberate political calculation.
While the IUML has refrained from engaging in the controversy so far, other BJP-affiliated leaders, such as former state chief K Surendran and Hindu Aikya Vedi president R V Babu, have amplified claims about discrimination faced by Hindus in Malappuram during the Ramzan period. These assertions appear to align with a broader campaign by the BJP to project itself as the defender of Hindu interests in the face of alleged minority appeasement.
The CPI(M), which had earlier attempted to draw closer to the IUML by praising its secular credentials and signalling possible cooperation, has in recent months shifted to a more confrontational stance. This U-turn follows the party’s poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the UDF swept the state. The Left’s renewed attempt to consolidate Hindu votes also appears to be a counter-strategy to the BJP’s growing appeal among Kerala’s Christian communities, particularly through campaigns highlighting the threat of Islamist extremism.
On other Muslim-centric issues, such as the Waqf (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament, the state government has taken a restrained approach, refraining from passing a resolution against it in the Assembly, unlike Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. This hesitancy further underscores the CPI(M)’s shifting political posture as it tries to strike a balance between electoral pragmatism and ideological positioning ahead of the crucial Assembly elections.