Ezhava leaders sidelined in Congress, BJP, alleges SNDP leader

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Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 3 (PTI) Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, an organisation that represents the numerically strong Ezhava community in Kerala, accused the opposition Congress and the BJP of sidelining the leaders belonging to the community and said the ruling CPI(M) is comparatively better in treating them.

The course of Kerala is now being decided by the parties supported by organised religions, but the Ezhavas, who comprise 29 per cent of the total state population, have no role in such decisions, Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of the SNDP, said.

The majority of the second-line leaders of both the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the opposition Congress-headed United Democratic Front (UDF) belong to the organised religions, he said in "Yoganadam," the mouthpiece of the outfit, on Monday.

In the hard-hitting editorial titled "Are Ezhavas curry leaves?" Natesan also criticised the political leaders belonging to the Ezhava community and accused them of not raising their voices in their respective organisations to ensure the rights of their community.

They would think about their community only when their positions come under threat, he said, adding that the situation is not the same in other communities.

The other communities make an organised effort to place their near ones in key positions and drag others down, he alleged, and cited it as a reason for the fall of Ezhava people from power positions.

"Ezhavas are being sidelined in the Congress Party. Currently, there is only one Ezhava MLA, K Babu, in the party. Even the KPCC president is being marginalised. While the Congress leadership may not acknowledge this, it is the reality," Natesan said.

The community leader further expressed concern that even the sole Congress MLA might be out of his power position after the upcoming election.

The situation in BJP (regarding the position of Ezhavas) is more pathetic, he said, adding that the ruling CPI (M) is comparatively better at treating Ezhavas.

Though the Left party ensures the representation of backward communities at the organisational level of the party, the CPI(M) also forgets them when it comes to key posts like vice chancellor, PSC members, MP nominations, and so on.

Natesan further said that the Ezhavas expected a change in the neglect that they had been facing for years when the Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power.

But nothing has happened as expected, he said, adding that the Vijayan government is likely to come to power for the third consecutive time in the state after the next assembly polls.

He also alleged that some persons in the Chief Minister's Office are indulging in activities that may take the sheen off the good deeds of the government.

In the editorial, Natesan requested the CM to correct these "drawbacks." PTI LGK ADB