Who Is Afraid of P Jayarajan?

You see life-size cutouts of him everywhere in Vadakara. Clad in white dhoti and white shirt, with his left hand raised high in the sky. If one looks at this hand, the empty space where his thumb should have been can be seen. His thumb was chopped off by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) goons two decades ago on a Thiruvonam day (one of the auspicious days observed by Malayalis), when he also lost mobility of his right hand and half his body.

Meet P Jayarajan, the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF’s) candidate in Vadakara parliamentary constituency, and the fierce leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) from Kannur.

The name is not alien to anyone who follows Kerala politics. This CPI(M)’s former Kannur district secretary has a list of cases files against him. On social media websites, you can see people, who otherwise root for LDF, making an exception for Jayarajan. They are appealing to the voters to defeat him so as to put an end to the political violence. This narrative about someone, who has once been a victim of brutal political violence himself at the hands of the RSS goons, naturally makes one wonder: who is afraid of P Jayarajan?

The history of political violence in Kerala is often reported in a very subversive manner by the elite mainstream media. Each killing is often reduced to personal loss and martyrdom.

Jayarajan, the former Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader has tactfully converted hardcore right-wing workers into loyal Communist party workers. Many Congress leaders have also lost many battles in Kannur because of Jayarajan.

The Communist party has witnessed loss of lives of hundreds of its loyal cadres at the hands of RSS goons. Jayarajan has definitely played a role in minimising the outcome of this kind of violence. This is evident from the way RSS and their political arm BJP have been targeting him.

A common enemy

The candidature of Jayarajan is widely discussed because of the two key factors. He is perceived as the perpetrator of political violence in the Malabar region in Kerala. Apart from this, his candidature paved the way for formation of a curious case of political alliance in the constituency.

The major candidates  against Jayarajan are veteran congress leader K Muraleedharan and BJP’s Sajeevan. The BJP candidate is not a strong opponent, but Muraleedharan has brought a new fighting spirit into the constituency. Son of late K Karunakaran, Muraleedharan is a favourite of the old timers.

He had allied with the Left in the past, but it does not deter him from attacking the Marxist party. His response to the whole Sabarimala controversy was an example of his attitude. Opposing women’s entry, he had asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to apologise to the public for the women’s entry into the temple.

Though BJP has fielded a candidate from this constituency, LDF has been alleging that Congress and the BJP is in secret alliance. Since Muraleedharan is a sitting member in the Assembly, his win means a vacancy. If such an unholy alliance exists, BJP can win in this constituency where they already have a better vote base.

Apart from BJP, Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) is also supporting Muraleedharan. Formed by the late communist leader T P Chandrasekharan, RMP is supporting the UDF candidate to oppose the ‘political violence’ of the Marxist party.

Opponents into Comrades

One of the major roles played by Jayarajan is turning enemies into allies. One of the classic stories of such a conversion is that of OK Vasu.

Vasu, popularly known as ‘Vasu master’ was the district secretary of BJP in Kannur for many years, and was often accused of being the mastermind behind many attacks and killings. But in 2014, he and some of his fellow BJP workers joined the CPI(M) due to internal clashes in the saffron party. This was largely credited to Jayarajan. When questions were raised regarding history between Vasu master and the Communist party, Jayarajan replied in the most political way possible. “The Sangh Parivar’ attack on the CPIM workers was part of an all-India agenda. It is futile to blame any particular BJP leader for the attacks. These leaders (Vasu and others) have snapped ties with the BJP after their bitter experiences,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
 

Humanity and politics

But this is not the only trait that makes Jayarajan dear to the natives of his district and the fellow comrades. His work in the palliative care and cooperatives fields has earned him praise from many.

Initiative for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care (IRPC), the brainchild of Jayarajan is one of the most active working voluntary groups in the state.

The IRPC also runs a drug bank and an ambulance service.

His work indicates the true potential of Jayarajan as a visionary communist. This unique combination of humanity and clear political perspective makes him stand out in the political landscape of Kerala.