NSS director board decides not to go ahead with attempts to forge alliance with SNDP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 

The attempts to forge unity between the Nair Service Society (NSS) and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam have failed once again. On Monday (January 26, 2026), the NSS director board decided to abandon the efforts, citing the prevailing political situation. 

Recent statements by NSS general secretary G. Sukumaran Nair and SNDP general secretary Vellapally Natesan had created the impression of a thaw in relations between the two powerful Hindu community organisations over the past few weeks. This sparked speculation about its potential impact on the upcoming Assembly elections in the State. 

However, on Monday (January 26, 2026), Mr. Nair issued a statement declaring the proposed unity impractical in the current political scenario, “especially because the NSS follows a policy of equidistance from all political formations”. The statement added that the NSS wished to maintain the same friendly relationship with the SNDP as it does with other community organisations. 

“The meeting has therefore decided not to press ahead with the proposal for unity with the SNDP,” it concluded. 

Past attempts at rapprochement between the NSS (a forward caste Hindu organisation) and the SNDP (representing the dominant Hindu Ezhava OBC community) have collapsed due to sharp differences over reservations. This time too, the divide was evident, particularly given the role of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Thushar Vellapally (son of SNDP general secretary Mr. Natesan), and predominantly comprising members from the Ezhava community. 

Mr. Natesan, who has courted controversy with vitriolic remarks seemingly targeting the Muslim community, is known to create unease within the CPI(M). His close association with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, a CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, has drawn criticism from within the party. 

The proposed NSS-SNDP unity generated significant political interest, coming as it did amid the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) displaying strength within the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) following its strong performance in the recent local body elections and signals from the Catholic Church indicating rare public solidarity with the Congress-led alliance.