Satheesan to inaugurate NSS Mannam Jayanthi celebrations; differences settled

KERALA Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will inaugurate the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mannathu Padmanabhan, founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS), at its headquarters in Perunna, Changanacherry, on January 2, 2027.

The visit will mark Satheesan's first visit to the NSS headquarters since assuming office as Chief Minister, after a gap of nearly five years. The development is also significant as it signals an end to the prolonged differences between the Chief Minister and NSS General Secretary G. Sukumaran Nair.

Confirming the development, Sukumaran Nair said he had spoken to the Chief Minister over the phone and personally invited him to the celebrations. A formal invitation was also sent, and Satheesan had accepted it.

Sukumaran Nair said the misunderstandings between them had been settled through discussions and that there were no longer any differences. He added that Satheesan had explained the circumstances behind some of his earlier remarks, and both sides had agreed to put the past behind them.

The NSS celebrations will be held at Perunna on January 1 and 2. An All-Kerala Nair Representatives' Conference will be held on January 1, while the main Mannam Jayanthi gathering on January 2 will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister. State Health Minister K. Muraleedharan will also attend the function.

The earlier differences between the two leaders had arisen following public exchanges over the role of community organisations in politics. The reconciliation and the Chief Minister's proposed visit are being viewed as a significant development in Kerala's political landscape.

Sukumaran Nair also reiterated the NSS position that economically weaker sections among both forward and backward communities should receive consideration in reservation policies. He clarified that the organisation had not submitted any fresh written demand to the state or Central governments on the issue.