PM Modi Called Me, Said Kerala Matters: C Sadanandan Master On Rajya Sabha Nomination
Sadanandan Master said, 'PM Modi urged me to step forward to fulfill my mission of transforming Kerala into a flourishing state, free of political violence and intimidation.'
A day before the official announcement of his nomination to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called C Sadanandan Master, urging him to accept it. 'We want you to accept this responsibility. Kerala matters deeply to us," the PM told him on Friday.
Speaking exclusively to News18, Sadanandan Master said, 'PM Modi has always expressed his concern about the state, and made it clear how crucial Kerala is to him. He called me on Friday and urged me to step forward to fulfill my mission of transforming Kerala into a flourishing state, free of political violence and intimidation."
'Last evening (Saturday), I met Amit Shah ji too. He was in the state for a programme. He congratulated me too," said Sadanandan, who holds the position of vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in Kerala.
Modi's call to the senior leader was more than a gesture of political trust. It is now seen as a recognition of decades of silent, often painful, ideological work carried out by the Sangh Parivar and their functionaries in the volatile terrain of Kerala's Kannur, known as the 'red citadel' of the CPM.
'I come from Mattanur, a municipality in Kannur — the red bastion of the Communist Party. Over the decades, more than 100 RSS karyakartas have lost their lives to political violence in Kannur's ideological warzone. This nomination is not just personal, it is also a tribute to their sacrifice. Since 1949, Sangha has been holding ground in Kannur and fighting against political violence and intimidation," Sadanandan Master said.
Shri C. Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth…— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 13, 2025
Grounded in Kannur, speaking for India
The nomination of a long time RSS functionary from Kannur to the Rajya Sabha is also a powerful political message — one that reflects the BJP's deepening focus on Kerala, the ideological battle with the Left, and the Sangh Parivar's growing footprint.
As a retired schoolteacher, writer, poet and senior RSS functionary from Kannur, the nomination was 'long overdue', said a senior RSS functionary, who is based out of Kerala.
'We have evolved from door-to-door outreach to building schools, ideas, and a nationalist vision in Kerala. From Kannur to Thrissur, every inch has been hard-earned. We have our mandal and taluk committees everywhere. We have made a reasonable outreach among the Christian communities as well. They are solidly behind us and they contribute to at least 18% of Kerala's vote share," Sadanandan Master said.
'I have been a writer, a schoolteacher, a poet, and yes, also a victim of retaliatory violence. But the real story is not revenge. It is about modernising the RSS in Kerala, working with society, and never losing sight of the goal — a just and awakened society. With Suresh Gopi in Lok Sabha and now this Rajya Sabha nomination, the BJP has voices from Kerala in both the Houses. This is the broadening of our base," he added.
Nomination of Sadanand Master, among others, to the Rajya Sabha is an inspired choice.Sadanandan Master's perseverance, from survival to activism, underscores the deadly stakes of ideological violence in Kerala's Kannur region. His life is a story of conviction, courage, and… pic.twitter.com/H0isTti5r1
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 13, 2025
Sadanandan Master's journey from Sangh to BJP
Sadanandan Master's life is in many ways a symbol of this continuous and ongoing struggle. A district joint general secretary of the RSS in 1994, he lost both his legs in a brutal attack allegedly carried out by CPM cadres, a chilling episode that still resonates in the blood-stained political landscape of Kannur. He was later shifted to Thrissur from Kannur by the Sangh and in 2020, post-retirement, he was positioned in the BJP as the state vice-president.
His survival, resilience and continued service within the Sangh fold made him a revered figure in Kerala's RSS ecosystem. His nomination to the Upper House not only rewards his personal resilience and ideological commitment, but also elevates the RSS narrative of martyrdom and struggle in a state long dominated by communist politics.
'Specifically, from a politically charged district like Kannur, where political violence always takes place in circuitous and retaliatory ways, Sadanandan Master's elevation motivates the cadres. He is the most deserving candidate for the position," said B Gopalakrishnan, a senior advocate and vice president of BJP's state unit.
Inside the epicentre of a changing Kerala
Kannur, a CPM stronghold, has for decades been the epicentre of violent ideological clashes between Marxists and RSS workers. Despite repeated electoral setbacks, the Sangh has kept its organisational focus intact, often paying a heavy price in blood.
The appointment of Sadanandan Master, who is seen as a living witness to this violence, brings that quiet perseverance into national political spotlight. It transforms him from a regional symbol of sacrifice into a national voice of the Sangh's Kerala struggle.
Strategically, this is also part of the BJP's broader south India push. With actor-politician Suresh Gopi now in the Lok Sabha as the party's lone elected MP from Kerala, and Sadanandan in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP has for the first time placed ideological representatives in both Houses of Parliament from the state. It is a signal that the central BJP leadership intends to keep Kerala firmly on its political radar.
For the RSS, the move reaffirms its influence in shaping not just the BJP's ideological direction in the state but also its institutional representation. And for Kerala, it sends a message that the state's political future is no longer immune to the forces that have redefined Indian politics elsewhere.
In Sadanandan Master, the BJP has chosen a figure who embodies both memory and mission — a witness to communist brutality, a survivor and now, a representative of Kerala's 'nationalist' alternative.
About the Author
Madhuparna Das
Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa...Read More
Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!
tags :
Bharatiya Janata Party bharatiya janata party bjp Narendra Modi news18 specials rajya sabha rajya sabha elections Rajya Sabha nomination Rajya Sabha polls
view comments
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
July 13, 2025, 14:18 IST
News politics PM Modi Called Me, Said Kerala Matters: C Sadanandan Master On Rajya Sabha Nomination | Exclusive
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- Indian Express
In Rajasthan village, locals say power, water cut for asking minister tough questions during visit
After Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Joraram Kumawat faced 'uncomfortable' questions from some locals in his constituency during a programme, locals have alleged that officials were sent to their village Sunday to disconnect their water and electricity connections allegedly for embarrassing the minister. On Saturday, Kumawat, the cabinet minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy, Gopalan and Devasthan departments had reached the Panchayat Bhawan in Gurdai in his Assembly constituency Sumerpur in Pali district for the foundation stone and inauguration of several development projects. However, citing dirty roads in the village, some locals started questioning the minister. They said that the construction of roads had not started and this had led to dirt and filth. Some of the minister's supporters and local public representatives tried to intervene and said that the minister had other engagements, further enraging the locals and the minister left without giving an address. On Sunday, local officials from water and electricity departments were allegedly sent to cut connections in Gurdai. In one of the viral videos, a local is heard saying that; 'Yesterday, we village residents had kept our issues before Minister Joraram and today, he has sent a PHED team to cut connections and trouble us'. Talking to The Indian Express, the man behind the video, advocate Kiran Kumar Meena, 23, said that: 'I am a common man … We have a dhani (hutment) of about 200 homes of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. When the honourable minister came yesterday, we wanted to tell him that the roof of our local school is leaking, that we don't have a CC (cement concrete) road and wanted to give him a memorandum. However, the minister and his supporters did not take our memorandum and pushed us out, saying that he has another engagement'. It was given a political angle, he claimed. 'Sunday morning, teams were sent to cut water and electricity connections claiming that we had illegal connections. We have taken connections at home, how is it illegal? If you think it's illegal, give us notice. We have had a water connection for five years,' Meena said, adding that he was the main target 'as I had the memorandum and I was speaking (before the minister)'. 'I am merely fighting for my rights. And fighting for my rights is my right too,' he said, 'The electricity department officials too said that my connection is illegal. I said that I pay my bills and it is my 45-year-old ancestral home. The police officials also said that this is a BJP government and if you are going to protest in this manner before a minister then you will be sent to jail.' He went on to say: 'But if we won't tell our minister then whom will we tell? The minister should know that if he has become the minister, he should help people instead of sending officials after us and showing power in this manner'. He said that he is being targeted by local BJP local leaders 'because we are SC, STs and so they think we are Congress leaning, but we are just common citizens and we are following what Babsaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar told us'. Terming the action as 'BJP's dictatorship' and sharing the video of the incident, the Congress party said Sunday: 'Today, on the minister's orders, the electricity and water connections of the villagers are being cut off. They are being punished for asking questions.' Meena said he had recorded the video 'because BJP workers and government officials had been mentally torturing me since yesterday. So, I recorded a video to protect myself.' He said that eventually, as more and more locals gathered in his support, the concerned engineers left the spot, without disconnecting anything, and after getting calls from their seniors. Minister Kumawat could not be reached for comments. On Saturday, he had said that some Congress workers had entered and opposed him at the inauguration programme but that he had given instructions to officials to clean the roads in question and draw up a proposal to construct the roads too. On the accusations against the district administration, District Collector Laxmi Narain Mantri said, 'talk to the honourable minister', and added, 'We are administrative officers; we do what is due to us.' Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP Hanuman Beniwal, smarting from electricity disconnection at his Nagaur residence — registered in the name of his brother – over unpaid dues, Sunday shared a bill purportedly showing unpaid electricity dues of Energy Minister Heeralal Nagar. According to the online bill copy shared by the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) supremo, Nagar owes as much as Rs 2.17 lakh to Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited. 'Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others,' Beniwal said. Minister Nagar did not respond to calls.
The Hindu
34 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Not foreigners, Biharis will decide fate of Bihar: BJP
The BJP on Sunday (July 13, 2025) slammed the Opposition parties for raising questions on the ongoing scrutiny of electoral rolls in Bihar and said only 'Biharis' will decide the fate of the State in the upcoming Assembly polls, not foreigners or illegal immigrants. The criticism came the same day officials said that field agents of the Election Commission have found "a large number of people" from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar in their house-to-house visits, made as part of the ongoing intensive review of the voter list in Bihar. They asserted that the names of illegal migrants will not be included in the final electoral roll, to be published on September 30. A proper enquiry of such people will be conducted after August 1. Asked for comment, BJP national spokesperson and former Union Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told PTI Videos, "None of those who are residents of Bihar and valid voters in the state are facing any problem with the electoral rolls' revision." But illegal immigrants and foreigners like those from Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh cannot be included in the voter list, the BJP leader said. "Biharis will decide the fate of Bihar by casting their votes, not citizens of other countries," he added. Another BJP national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, hit out at the Congress and the RJD, alleging that illegal immigrants from various countries were "brought and settled down" during their rule in the past. "They were provided with all kinds of identity cards. Now they are being weeded being ensured that only Indian citizens avail the right to vote as per the Constitution," he told PTI Videos. But Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav are trying to "build pressure" on the Election Commission by spreading "lies" about the ongoing SIR exercise in Bihar, Mr. Poonawalla alleged. "They talk about saving the Constitution, but they want to provide voting rights to foreigners and intruders whom they had brought and settled down during their (parties') is their mindset," he said, and accused the Congress and the RJD of keeping their "vote bank policy" above the Constitution.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Ex-Foreign Secy, 26/11 prosecutor among 4 nominated to Rajya Sabha
A former Foreign Secretary, the lawyer who prosecuted 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the historian who wrote the official textbook on India's medieval history during the Vajpayee government's tenure, and a veteran BJP leader in Kerala who was a victim of political violence three decades ago. These are the people President Droupadi Murmu nominated to the Rajya Sabha on Sunday. Retired diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, historian Meenakshi Jain, and BJP leader C Sadanandan Master will join the Rajya Sabha, which, as per Article 80 of the Constitution, can have 12 nominated members who have specialised knowledge or practical experience of literature, science, art, or social service. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the nominations. Congratulating Shringla, he posted on X, 'Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla Ji has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. Over the years, he's made key contributions to India's foreign policy and also contributed to our G20 Presidency.' Shringla is a 1984-batch IFS officer and served as India's Ambassador to the US, High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Thailand. In 2019, during his tenure as the envoy to the US, the 'Howdy Modi' event was held in Texas. The 63-year-old was the Foreign Secretary from 2020 to 2022 and served as the chief coordinator of India's G-20 presidency in 2023. Ujjwal Nikam, 72, is best known as the man who prosecuted Kasab, and is the go-to man whenever a complicated or high-profile case crops up. 'Ujjwal Nikam's devotion to the legal field and to our Constitution is exemplary,' Modi posted on X. 'He has not only been a successful lawyer but also been at the forefront of seeking justice in important cases …' Following the announcement, Nikam told ANI, 'Yesterday, the PM called me and asked, 'Ujjwal ji, should I speak in Marathi or Hindi? I started laughing, and he also laughed. I told him, 'You know both languages well.' He then switched to Marathi and told me that the President has entrusted me with new responsibilities and asked if I was ready to take them on. I immediately said yes.' Nikam has represented the state in cases such as the 1993 Bombay blast trial, the murder of music executive Gulshan Kumar in 1997, the 2006 murder of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, and the 2006 Khairlanji massacre in which four members of a Dalit family were killed. The case that made him a household name across the country was the trial of Kasab. During the proceedings, Nikam claimed the terrorist had demanded biryani in jail. However, he later admitted he had 'made up the statement as there was a sympathetic wave building towards Kasab', who was hanged in November 2012. In May 2024, Nikam resigned as special public prosecutor to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North Central on a BJP ticket. However, he lost to the Congress's Varsha Gaikwad by more than 16,000 votes. Nikam was then reappointed as the special public prosecutor and was handling cases such as the 26/11 attack case against Zaibuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal and the murder charges against Vijay Palande who challenged Nikam's reappointment, claiming 'he would act to further the BJP's agenda and may go to any extent to secure false convictions'. Congratulating Meenakshi Jain, Modi wrote on X, 'It's a matter of immense joy that Dr Meenakshi Jain Ji has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Rashtrapati Ji. She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher and historian…' Jain taught history at Delhi University's Gargi College for over three decades and authored the NCERT textbook on Medieval India during the Vajpayee government's tenure. Her book replaced the one authored by historian Satish Chandra and was, in turn, replaced once the Congress-led UPA came to power in 2004. Jain became a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research during the Modi government's first term and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2020. A Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research at present, she has written several books. One of those is Rama and Ayodhya that traces, in depth, the conflict over the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. Delhi University Teachers' Association president Dr A K Bhagi described Jain's nomination as a moment of joy, saying, 'Only our ideology can provide such an honour to teachers.' The sole politician on the list, retired schoolteacher Sadanandan Master survived an attack in north Kerala's Kannur three decades ago in which he lost both his legs. The 61-year-old, who was last week appointed one of the Kerala BJP vice-presidents, hails from Perinchery village near Mattannur, Kannur, that is considered a CPI(M) stronghold. Although from a family of Communist supporters, he joined the RSS's student wing ABVP and was officially a part of the Sangh by 1984. For a time, he was the Sangh's boudhik pramukh in Ernakulam, responsible for the ideological training of the cadre. By 1994, he was the RSS sahkaryavah (joint general secretary) for Kannur. On the night of January 25, 1994, he was walking home after alighting from a bus at Uruvachal near Mattannur when a group of suspected CPI(M) workers attacked him. Sadanadan later recalled, 'A gang suddenly started hurling bombs, seeking to create a scare, and people started running and shut their shops. The gang approached me from behind and caught me. They laid me down on the road, then hacked both my legs below the knee and threw them away. No one dared to come to help me until the police arrived and took me to the hospital.' After a few months in the hospital, Sadanandan, who has had prostheses for both legs, returned to his school, which was struggling to attract students. The BJP then appointed him sub-editor in the party mouthpiece Janmabhumi. In 1999, he joined as a teacher in a school in Thrissur run by the Sangh Parivar. In the 2016 Assembly elections, in which the BJP made 'CPI(M)-sponsored' violence a key issue, Sadanandan was fielded from the Koothuparamba Assembly constituency, where some of the brutal political killings in Kannur took place in the 1990s. He finished third behind K K Shailaja of the CPI(M) and the JD(U) candidate K P Mohanan, polling over 20,000 votes. Sadanandan retired as a teacher from a school in Peramangalam in Thrissur in 2020 and in recent years has been active with the Bharatiya Vichara Kendram, an intellectual wing of the RSS, and writes columns in the media. 'Shri C. Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable … Best wishes for his role as MP,' Modi wrote. — With ENS Delhi inputs
