A. Harikumar
If the ambitious modern Malayali middle class is looking for a brand ambassador from among Kerala politicians, none fits the bill better than Ramesh Chennithala. Aspiring, charismatic, multilingual, suave, approachable, and empathic; Congress leader Chennithala is the quintessential representative of Malayali middle class. He embodies their interests, aspirations; likes and dislikes.
Even when knee-deep in politics, Chennithala, who has been quite dynamic as opposition leader of Kerala, is known to be a perfect family man, a caring father and a responsible husband and son. Had he been in the US or Europe where family values of politicians are counted when deciding their acceptability Chennithala would have topped popularity charts.
However, in Kerala politics nice guys finish second and angry rebels walk away with adulations most of the time. Chennithala’s refined outlook and courteous manners haven’t won him the recogniztion he deserves. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why he fails to top the popularity charts for prospective chief ministers in pre-poll surveys.
Chennithala’s multifaceted personality makes him one of a kind in Kerala politics. He is a voracious reader and an aficionado of movies and other art forms. His social media accounts reflect his multiplicity of interests; When other political leaders eat and live only politics, the world around him including society, nature, culture and spirituality captures the imagination of Chennithala and evokes response.
Less double talk
Compared to leaders who take rigid ideological positions in public and compromise them in private to sound progressive, Chennithala is different. He never takes high moral ground to build his image and is agile and adaptable when confronting social and political issues. He doesn’t hide his close relationships with leaders of social groups like NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair or SNDP general secretary Vellappalli Natesan and is not apologetic about his connections with leaders of Muslim community or different churches. His transparency has cost him ‘idealist’ mask but that gives him strength to deal with all groups and facilitates openness in decision making.
Political Rhetoric
Chennithala’s political rhetoric focuses on injustices around him and is a far cry from the humbug of Kerala’s archetypal left and centrist political leaders, who turn a blind eye towards the injustices around them but are articulate about injustices in far off places including North India or the US, where their opinion doesn’t matter. Unlike the pompous, overbearing speeches of Kerala’s left leaders which are marked by vitriolic attacks against American capitalism and Hindu traditions Chennithala makes only matter of fact criticisms and that too in a civilized language. That have not impressed the intellectual pretensions of leftist intelligentsia, so they have branded him as soft Sanghi and a snob.
However, Chennithala never rushes to capitalist hubs of London or New York whenever he faces a health issue and is rarely seen in the company of crony capitalists in Dubai and Bahrain unlike apparatchiks. He never deputes secret interlocutors for back door diplomacy with the BJP after showering invectives against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chennithala doesn’t use the lingo of violence in his conversations unlike left leaders who speak with bravado to impress by intimidation. Also he never throws tantrums and never hits below the belt, But all those have not given helped him score many brownie points as Kerala lacks a Bhadralok class.
Prospective chief minister
Chennithala could bring a creative disruption in governance in Kerala, if he becomes the chief minister of the state. A great communicator in English and Hindi besides Malayalam he could liaise with the Greater Kerala, which is spread all over the world, in their lingo. He speaks the language of the aspiring Malayali youth. He has a civilized approach, is at ease with technocrats and experts from different fields and; doesn’t have pretensions and hubris of the elite political class. Chennithala could cater to the needs of an emerging new Kerala where changes in demography, society and economy will throw unforeseen challenges, if he decides to put his foot down.