Thiruvananthapuram: Vellappalli Natesan, Padma Bhushan laureate (2026) and General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP Yogam), the community organisation of Ezhava (OBC) Hindus founded by legendary Hindu monk Sree Narayana Guru, stated on April 19 that organised Muslim and Christian communities wield significant influence in the state.
He said that Muslims are powerful and well-organised and have amassed considerable wealth. According to him, Thangals (high priests of the Muslim community in Keralam) lead the Indian Union Muslim League, while Christian priests influence various factions of the Kerala Congress, which emerged as splinter groups from the Indian National Congress in the state. He alleged that priests from both communities have come to dominate many sectors.
Vellappalli also claimed that M. M. Mani, former minister and CPI(M) leader, was denied a party ticket in the recently concluded Assembly elections due to the influence of the Christian community and priesthood in the district.
He further complained that successive governments in the state have done little for the Ezhava community, and alleged that the state has shifted from democracy to plutocracy.
The SNDP Yogam leader stated that the Muslim community has organised itself effectively, and that Christians have done the same. He said that both the Indian Union Muslim League and various factions of the Kerala Congress have emerged as powerful vote banks in the state and enjoy multiple privileges. He added that whenever he demands justice, it is interpreted as “playing the caste card.”
The General Secretary also alleged that the Enforcement Directorate inquiry concluded after the Assembly polls, adding that he had been raising this issue for several months. He expressed pessimism about recovering the gold lost from the Sabarimala Temple.
Last year, Vellappalli had claimed that the Muslim population would soon become the majority community in the state, which drew criticism from non-BJP parties. The Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), founded by SNDP Yogam, is a key constituent of the NDA in Kerala.
His son, Tushar Vellappalli, is the president of BDJS, the convener of the NDA in the state, the vice president of SNDP Yogam, and the secretary of SN Trust, the apex body that manages various SNDP institutions. Political observers are now watching closely to see what stand SNDP Yogam will take in the coming days.
