Satheesan, Vellappally signal truce ahead of Guru’s birth anniversary

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Friday signalled a truce with Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan ahead of Sree Narayana Guru’s birth anniversary celebrations on September 18.

Mr. Satheesan said he embraced the SNDP’s decision to invite him to participate in the Chathayam Day celebrations by various taluk unions, including the one at the Guru’s birthplace in Chempazhanthy. The SNDP Yogam would not have welcomed him without Mr. Natesan’s whole-hearted consent, he added. 

Mr. Nateesan recently challenged Mr. Satheesan to declare that he would go into self-imposed political exile if the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) did not secure an emphatic victory with 100 seats in the 2026 Assembly elections. Mr. Natesan said he would reciprocate by quitting the post of SNDP general secretary if the UDF won. Mr. Satheesan picked up the gauntlet thrown down by Mr. Natesan. Nevertheless, he said he held the SNDP Yogam leader in esteem, given the latter’s age and experience at the helm of the powerful Hindu social organisation. Mr. Satheesan requested Mr. Natesan to quit the top post if the UDF won in 2026. 

Mr. Satheesan said he politically differed with Mr. Natesan on certain aspects. For one, he had opposed the SNDP general secretary’s purported criticism of the Indian Union Muslim League and confident Muslim social organisation leaders who he accused of using the political heft of the minority community to wrest educational institutions and other largesse from successive governments at the expense of majority community interests. Mr Satheesan cautioned that such statements would sow divisiveness in society. He said his dispute on some subjects with Mr. Natesan was principled and not personal.