NewKerala.com

Sivagiri Mutt Demands Winnable Seats for Backward Communities from Congress

The Sivagiri Mutt formally requested Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure candidates from backward communities are fielded in winnable constituencies for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. The demand was submitted during Gandhi's visit to the mutt, where he paid homage at the samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru. Political observers see the visit as part of the Congress party's effort to strengthen ties with the influential Ezhava community ahead of the polls. The request gains significance as the Ezhava community is the largest Hindu group in Kerala, yet only one of 22 sitting Congress MLAs belongs to it.

Key Points: Kerala Mutt Seeks Poll Representation for Backward Communities

  • Mutt submits written request
  • Focus on winnable seats
  • Part of Congress outreach to Ezhava community
  • Only one Ezhava MLA among 22 Congress legislators
2 min read

Kerala: Sivagiri Mutt seeks stronger poll representation for backward communities from Cong

Sivagiri Mutt submits a written request to Rahul Gandhi for fielding candidates from backward communities in winnable Kerala constituencies.

Kerala: Sivagiri Mutt seeks stronger poll representation for backward communities from Cong
"candidates from backward communities be allotted constituencies where victory prospects are strong - Swami Sachchidananda"

Thiruvananthapuram, March 7

The Sivagiri Mutt on Saturday urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure that candidates from backward communities are fielded in winnable constituencies in the upcoming Assembly elections.

The demand was raised when the Congress leader visited the mutt and paid homage at the samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri.

This marked the second consecutive day of Rahul Gandhi's participation in programmes associated with the Sivagiri Mutt.

On the previous day, he attended the centenary celebrations of the Guru-Gandhi Samagam held in Kollam.

Following that event, he visited the mutt on Saturday morning. Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by K. C. Venugopal, AICC general secretary and MP, and Adoor Prakash, UDF convenor, among others.

The leaders first visited the Mahasamadhi of Sree Narayana Guru and offered floral tributes.

The Congress leader was received by Swami Sachchidananda, president of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust.

After paying respects at the samadhi, Rahul Gandhi visited the Vaidika Mutt, the place where Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore had earlier come to meet Sree Narayana Guru.

He later visited the Sarada Mutt within the Sivagiri complex.

Subsequently, Rahul Gandhi held discussions with the swamis of Sivagiri Mutt at the guest house.

During this interaction, the mutt formally submitted a written request seeking adequate representation for backward communities in the upcoming Assembly elections.

According to Swami Sachchidananda, the mutt specifically demanded that candidates from backward communities be allotted constituencies where victory prospects are strong.

Rahul Gandhi reportedly responded that the request would be examined.

The visit of a key Congress leader to Sivagiri assumes significance in the backdrop of the approaching Assembly elections.

The programme in Kollam was jointly organised by the Sivagiri Mutt and the Rajiv Gandhi Study and Research Centre of the KPCC.

Political observers view Rahul Gandhi's visit as part of the Congress party's broader effort to strengthen ties with the Ezhava community through the Sivagiri Mutt ahead of the elections.

The Hindu Ezhava community in Kerala is the single largest community, edging out the Hindu Nairs to second place.

Out of the 22 sitting Congress legislators, there is only one MLA who belongs to the Ezhava community, and hence this written request from the mutt assumes significance.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good move by the Mutt. Politics should be about fair representation for all communities, not just the dominant ones. Sree Narayana Guru's legacy is about social justice, so this request is perfectly in line with that. Let's see if the Congress walks the talk. 🤞
A
Arun Y
While the demand is valid, I hope this doesn't lead to tokenism. Fielding candidates in 'winnable seats' is key. Often, parties give tickets from communities in seats they know they'll lose. The Mutt's specific wording is smart. Hope it translates to actual power-sharing.
M
Michael C
Interesting to see how religious institutions play a direct role in political negotiations in India. The visit is clearly strategic ahead of elections. The Congress needs to rebuild its base in Kerala, and aligning with the Sivagiri Mutt seems to be a calculated step.
P
Priya S
As someone from Kerala, I appreciate the Mutt raising this. But let's be honest, this is election season politics. Every party does this - visits mutts, temples, and makes promises. The real test is after the elections. Will they deliver on governance for these communities?
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, I have to offer a criticism. While representation is important, shouldn't the primary criteria be merit and capability to serve the people? We must be careful not to reduce politics to just community arithmetic. A balance is needed.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50