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With the Left Democratic Front (LDF) not yet facing strong anti-incumbency and the BJP doing damage in terms of cutting LDF votes, the Gandhis will have to prove that they are son/daughter of the soil when it comes to God’s own country, Kerala
The Gandhis are yet to respond to the Kesari Chapter 2 based on the life of Sankaran Nair. (File)
Yet another issue in Kerala has now put Congress leaders, especially Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in the dock.
This is over the movie Kesari Chapter 2, based on the life and times of lawyer Sankaran Nair, who took on both the British and Congress, especially after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) often attacks the Congress for focusing only on the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, overlooking those who did not have the surnames such as Sardar Patel and now Sankaran Nair.
One of the first to respond to the movie was Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who is a Malayali and understands the importance of giving Nair his space.
He said, “Thrilled to learn that Kesari Chapter 2 will bring the story of C Sankaran Nair to the big screen… his legacy deserves much greater recognition in modern times.”
A little later, he said, “Congressmen in Kerala are well aware of his role as the first president of INC and his role as a lawyer…”
This is where the problem begins. The BJP has already begun to question the silence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is an MP from Kerala’s Wayanad. This is the 2.0 moment.
She came in for criticism for missing in action while the Waqf Bill was being debated and passed. Both Christians and Muslims were asked whether they would want to vote for someone who looks at them selectively and from the prism of religion.
BJP’s Amit Malviya asked, “Is it because, in their world view, the only freedom fighters worth mentioning are either from the Nehru-Gandhi family or remain loyal to them?”
When Vadra contested from Wayanad in place of Rahul Gandhi, she, like her brother, was accused of using Kerala as a stopgap as they were unsure of a win from the Hindi heartland. Termed as outsiders, the Gandhis face the litmus test when it comes to polls in the state in 2026.
With the Left Democratic Front (LDF) not yet facing strong anti-incumbency and the BJP doing damage in terms of cutting LDF votes, the Gandhis will have to prove that they are son/daughter of the soil when it comes to God’s own country, Kerala.
When Tharoor first contested, he was criticised even by fellow party men as being an outsider. He has proved them wrong by winning four times, and he knows the nuance, which is why he was quick to acknowledge Nair.
Will Kerala be forgiving of the Gandhis and Vadra? Or will Kesari 2 colour the perception about the Gandhis? Will Sankaran Nair come back to haunt the Congress?
