Meet Vellappalli Nadesan: Modi’s Chief Ministerial candidate for Kerala

Dr D Babu Paul, former Chief Secretary of Kerala, author and opinion builder, who is no supporter of Bharatiya Janata Party, said the other day that Kerala will have a BJP Chief Minister in 2021(when the state Assembly election is due after the one in 2016), that is, if the Congress Party discredits itself by more scams like bar bribery scam, saritha solar power scam etc and the CPM sees continued exodus of its cadres to the BJP.

There are signs of things falling in place as predicted by Babu Paul. BJP’s tie-up with the Sree Narayana Dharma Pariapala Yogam(SNDP) representing the powerful Ezhava community led by Vellappalli Nadesan has brought rich dividends to the party in the last civic bodies polls. For the first time, BJP came to power in a Municipality as important as Palakkad, it became the main opposition in the prestigious Thruvanathapuram Corporation, came second in some other Municipalities and won power in many Grama Panchayats. BJP is now keen to replicate the success in the forthcoming Assembly election by further cementing ties with the SNDP.

Perhaps, the landmark political development in Kerala in the past one year is the evolution of SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappalli Nadesan, a bar owner-turned community leader, as the quintessential political leader, who is feared by the leaders of both the ruling United Democratic Front(UDF) and the Opposition Left Democratic Front(LDF).

His growing stature in the Ezhava community and state politics is likened to that of late R Sankar, the third Chief Minister of Kerala and former General Secretary of SNDP Yogam.

The ongoing Samathwa Munnetta Yatra, a campaign to forge Hindu unity, led by Nadesan is drawing huge crowds ever since it started its journey from Kasargode with much fanfare on November 23. Like a seasoned politician, he charms the audience by his powerful articulation and disarms critics by his quick repartee.

Nadesan says the `sea of humanity’ that will be present on Shanghumugham beach, Thiruvananthapuram, at the conclusion of the Yatra on December 5 will send shivers down the spines of Congress and CPM leaders in Kerala. Nadesan is expected to announce the formation of a new political party at the conclusion of the Yatra.

Nadesan is perhaps the most-criticised leader in Kerala today. He is dubbed by his critics as a religious fanatic, a Kerala Thogadia, mafia leader etc. The allegations against him raised by both the CPM and Congress leaders relate to the alleged murder of Swami Saswathikananda, irregularities in the micro finance scheme involving Rs 5,000 crore, amassing of huge money by way of donations for appointments in the schools and colleges run by SNDP Yogam etc.

The state Government has ordered re-investigation into the death of Saswathikananda. But the fact is none of his critics could so far produce any shred of evidence to substantiate their allegations against Nadesan.

What draws comfort for Nadesan is the absolute backing and blessings received by him from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah. They reportedly want to project Nadesan as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the third front to be formed by the BJP with, among others, the new party being floated by Nadesan.

Modi has readily agreed to concede two of Nadesan’s demands – to unveil the statue of R Shankar at Kollam on December 15 and to rename the Central University of Kerala in Kasargode after Sree Narayana Guru. Modi who is to address a public rally at Thrissur on December 15 is also expected to make some important announcements benefiting Kerala including declaration of Sabarimala as a National Pilgrim Centre.

The coming together of SNDP Yogam and BJP, two cadre-based organisations with immense money and mustle power, would be a formidable political force in Kerala. This explains the anxiety and panic in the camps of UDF and LDF and the stridency of their attack on Nadesan.

By all indications, the new political formation is set to open its account in the 2016 Assembly election. Who knows, Vellappalli Nadesan could be the king-maker or king himself in 2021, if not earlier!

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