Latest news with #anti-Ezhava
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Will quit politics if Congress loses 2026 polls: Kerala Leader of Opposition
Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheesan has declared that he will quit politics if the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) fails to secure a landslide majority in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. His remarks came in response to a challenge posed by prominent Ezhava leader and SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally speaking to a regional news channel, had said he would resign from his position if the UDF won 100 seats in the next assembly elections. He also asked whether Satheesan would go into 'political exile' if the UDF failed to achieve such a majority. Natesan had earlier accused Satheesan of harbouring anti-Ezhava to these comments, Satheesan told the media after visiting the family of a Kerala nun arrested in Chhattisgarh that he was not interested in competing or arguing with Natesan. However, he said Natesan had inadvertently acknowledged the UDF's potential to win big. 'He has openly told a truth: if the UDF gets 98 seats, he will resign. So he has no doubt about us getting at least 97 seats. A mature and intelligent community leader like him, who follows Kerala politics closely, has acknowledged that,' Satheesan added, 'If we get the remaining four or five seats, it will exceed a hundred. We will work hard and make it more than a hundred seats. But there is no challenge with him. He is asking if I will go into political exile if I cannot bring the UDF back to power with a good majority. If I cannot bring the UDF back to power with a good majority, I will go into political exile. You will not see me after that.''Even if UDF wins more than 100 seats, Vellappally need not resign. Let him remain in that position for life,' he said. 'There is no competition between him and me.'- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Have nothing to say: Kerala LoP Satheesan on Vellappally's derogatory remark
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Replying to SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan's accusation that Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan harbours anti-Ezhava sentiments, the latter said that 'he has nothing to say.' Satheesan said he had just pointed out the fact that Vellappally's statements were against the philosophy of Sree Narayana Guru. Earlier in the day, Vellappally had come down heavily against Satheesan for 'nursing chief ministerial ambition.' Vellappally also said that Satheesan is 'keeping an anti-Ezhava stance.' 'My voters knew better than anyone else. In my constituency, about 52% of voters are from the Ezhava community. What did I say against the Ezhava community? I like Guru and believe in his philosophy. I will oppose anyone who is making such communal statements,' he said. He also downplayed the social media campaigns comparing the last journeys of former CMs Oommen Chandy and V S Achuthanandan. 'The vehicle which carried the body of Oommen Chandy travelled to Kottayam through MC Road and the funeral procession of VS travelled through MG Road and his body was cremated in Alappuzha. People liked these two leaders. The government arrested persons who made derogatory remarks against VS from their houses. However, the police did not act against those who denounced Oommen Chandy,' he added. Satheesan also alleged that there were widespread irregularities in the voters list published by the State Election Commission. 'The names of many people who had voted in the last election were omitted. However, the names of those who died three or four years ago are included in the list. It is wrong to set the deadline to include names in the voters list as 15 days. The delimitation has been completed in violation of HC's instructions. If the commission did not take action to review the list, the UDF will take legal recourse,' he said.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Vellappally Natesan slams Satheeshan
Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan on Saturday strongly criticised Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, calling him the worst Opposition leader in the State. While inaugurating a programme organised by the SNDP Yogam at Pandappally near Muvattupuzha, he said Mr. Satheesan is anti-Ezhava. 'He is in no position to teach me about Guru Dharma,' said Mr. Natesan. 'Mr. Satheesan is incapable of leading the United Democratic Front (UDF). The Left Democratic Front (LDF) will come to power for the third time in the State,' he said. 'Mr. Satheesan is trying to ensure his position and is all set to become the next Chief Minister. However, he is does not know how to mange issues in a better manner,' said Mr. Natesan. . On Malappuram 'Some groups are trying to portray me as anti-Muslim when I speak the truth. Ezhava community in Malappuram is facing discrimination, even in the education sector. Most of the institutions there belong to the Muslim community. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is a communal political party. Are there any other community members on the personal staff of the IUML representatives? If it is a secular party, will they field a Brahmin community member on their seats in the next election?' asked Mr. Natesan. 'There is no problem when Christian or Nair community members raise caste-related issues. However, when the Ezhava community speaks about such issues, a big controversy is created,' he said. Mr. Natesan further alleged that the Congress party sidelined former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Sudhakaran because he belongs to the SNDP community. Many members of the Ezhava community take up the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme works. They lack employment opportunities and are forced to take up such jobs, he said. This situation should be rectified, Mr. Natesan added. In response, Mr. Satheesan said that Mr. Natesan was saying things that the Guru would not approve of. Communal utterings, regardless of where they come from, should be opposed. Around 52% of the voters in his constituency [North Paravur] belonged to the Ezhava community, and he held a very good relationship with them, Mr. Satheesan added.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong an anti-Ezhava party: Natesan
Kottayam: SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan stated that the Congress party has turned into an anti-Ezhava party for some time now. In an article written on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the famous ' Kozhenchery speech ' of C Kesavan, the Yogam general secretary said that the change in the state leadership of the Congress party is a clear picture of the neglect the Ezhava community is facing. The representation of the Ezhava community in the opposition in the state has reduced to a single person, he Yogam's constant raising of voice for the backward classes is infuriating political parties and some community organisations. They are waiting for a chance to ruin the SNDP Yogam, he said. The upper caste and minorities are standing together to grab the key positions in the govt sector while the Ezhavas are ruining themselves by fighting each other, Natesan added.
