Kerala: SNDP-NSS Rapprochement Comes To An Abrupt Halt

(MENAFN- IANS) Kottayam (Kerala), Jan 26 (IANS) The much-anticipated effort to forge unity between Kerala's two most influential Hindu social organisations -- the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham (SNDP Yogam) and the Nair Service Society (NSS) -- has been abruptly put on hold, dealing a setback to an initiative that appeared to be gathering momentum just days ago.

On Monday, the NSS director board resolved that there was no immediate need to pursue the proposed unity and that the matter could be deferred, reaffirming the organisation's policy of maintaining equidistance from political parties as well as other social groups.

Reacting to the sudden reversal of the NSS, a beleaguered Natesan told the media at his home near Alappuzha that he will wait before responding, as he is not aware of what has actually happened and hence wants time.

The decision marks a sharp turn from the optimism expressed last week by NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair.

On Wednesday, he had publicly welcomed the SNDP Yogam leadership to Perunna, the NSS headquarters, declaring that the proposed SNDP-NSS unity was“certain” and brushing aside political anxieties surrounding the move.

“They are welcome to Perunna. When Tushar Vellappally (son of Natesan) comes, he will be received like a son,” Sukumaran Nair had said, underlining that the NSS would adhere to its foundational principles while formalising any alliance.

He had also clarified that the initiative was his personal conviction and would be placed before the NSS director board and apex body for approval. That approval has now been deferred.

The outreach had been reciprocated by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, who asserted that there was no need for rivalry with the NSS and confirmed that a meeting with Sukumaran Nair would take place soon, with his son Tushar Vellappally coordinating discussions.

Speaking after an SNDP Yogam meeting in Alappuzha, Natesan then said organisational support for the unity move was strong and dismissed political criticism as unwarranted.

The stalled initiative also revived memories of an earlier attempt at consolidation. Between 2012 and 2014, Vellappally and Sukumaran Nair had tried to build a“Hindu Grand Alliance” ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. That experiment collapsed amid disputes over the proposed Devaswom Recruitment Board and big ideological differences, particularly on caste-based reservation policies.

Relations remained strained for over a decade, with Sukumaran Nair even declaring in 2014 that unity was impossible as long as Vellappally headed the SNDP.

The latest effort was framed by both leaders as a social necessity rather than a political project, with Sukumaran Nair warning that disunity among Hindus was often worsened by political interference. Yet, the political implications were unmistakable.

A functional SNDP-NSS alignment could have altered electoral equations ahead of the Assembly polls, potentially hurting the Congress-led UDF the most.

For now, with the unity move paused, that political ripple has subsided -- leaving behind yet another chapter of high expectations, historical baggage, and unresolved ambition.

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