Suddenly NSS has rebelled against Congress

By O J George

Kottayam: It may not be without cogent reason that the usually-docile Nair Service Society has rebelled against the Congress Party.

And there may be something more than meets the eye for the direct hits made by NSS general secretary P.K.Narayana Panicker and assistant secretary G.Sukumaran Nair.

Even the ruined LDF had admitted to the gentlemanly way of NSS in keeping its equi-distance policy. The LDF had said the SNDP Yogam of Vellappalli Natesan was not that gentemenly towards extending assistance to the LDF candidates in the Lok Sabha elections in spite of its professions outwardly.

Union Ministers K V Thomas and Shashi Tharoor have been snubbed by the NSS leadership. Both of them wanted to visit the NSS headquarters at Perunna, Changanasserry. But they were plainly told they could not be extended a reception.

The meaning is quite clear. The NSS is sore over something relating to the Congress high command. What could be the sore point?

Sukumaran Nair has called Shashi Tharoor a Delhi Nair, not acceptable to Perunna, the Vatican of the NSS.

It is now news that NSS had advised him not to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram. Tharoor did not say anything, but ultimately when the candidates’ list came, he was in and was lined up at Thiruvananthapuram.

For he was the nominee of the Congress High Command. K V Thomas also was the nominee of the Congress High Command.

K V Thomas’ wish to visit Perunna was not through the district leadership or state leadership of the Congress. Thomas was trying to take credit for bringing in a rapprochement with the NSS, which is peeved that the Rajya Sabha seat of Thennala Balakrishna Pillai was given over to Vayalar Ravi.

Earlier there were five Nair candidates for the Lok Sabha. This time the number was reduced to four.

When ministers were made, Nairs were ignored. So goes the list of grouse. NSS has already made a complaint to the Congress in this regard. And there was no indication of solving the problem.

There would be three by-elections to Kerala Assembly in the seats vacated by K.Sudhakaran (Kannur), K C Venugopal (Alappuzha) and K V Thomas (Ernakulam) who have all become MPs.

NSS would not allow the by-election candidate selection bypassing the community’s interests.

Moreover, Congress Party would go in for a massive reorganization of office-bearers in the backdrop of many incumbents getting elected as MPs and some ministers.

No one knows for a fact whether NSS dislikes shifting of KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala for a higher post at the AICC. Perhaps Chennithala is being groomed as a future Chief Minister.

It was the misfortune of Karunakaran’s son K.Muraleedharan who was once the KPCC president. He would have ended up as the Chief Minister, had he patiently waited for the opportunity. Now it could be Chennithala who may be blessed some time later.

The grapevine has it that there was a move to bring in V M Sudheeran, a protégé of A.K.Antony, as KPCC chief. Ramesh Chennithala would be an AICC general secretary, in that case.