Tribal leader C.K. Janu signals shift towards UDF ahead of key Kerala polls
VETERAN tribal rights activist and political leader C.K. Janu on Monday announced her intention to join Kerala’s Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), marking a potential political realignment ahead of the state’s crucial local body and Assembly elections.
Speaking to the media, Janu confirmed that she has formally expressed her desire to join the UDF without placing any preconditions. The move is seen as a calculated pivot, especially as the UDF seeks to broaden its support base among marginalised communities.
At 55, Janu remains one of Kerala’s most recognised tribal voices.
She rose to prominence during the 2003 Muthanga land agitation in Wayanad, where she led tribal landless communities under the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) in a protest demanding land rights promised by the state government in 2001. The protest turned tragic when police opened fire, resulting in the deaths of a police officer and a tribal protester — a moment that drew widespread criticism of then Chief Minister A.K. Antony.
Once aligned with the Left movement, Janu later pursued an independent political path. In 2016, she launched her own party, the Janathipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS), and contested the Kerala Assembly elections from Sultan Bathery as part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, the alliance did not yield electoral success, and the JRS exited the NDA earlier this year.
Her current move towards the UDF is being closely watched. With the 2026 Assembly polls and local body elections on the horizon, political observers see her possible induction as a way for the UDF to bolster its influence in tribal-dominated areas, particularly Wayanad — currently represented in the Lok Sabha by Priyanka Gandhi.
Still, not everyone within the Congress appears fully on board. Party sources indicate that there is internal hesitation about bringing Janu into the fold. However, her decision to not demand conditions for entry is likely to ease some of those concerns.
Despite the mixed signals, political analysts believe Janu’s grassroots connect and tribal support base could offer the UDF a significant advantage as the alliance works to consolidate its position against both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the resurgent NDA.
If formally inducted, Janu’s return to the political mainstream under the UDF banner could mark a new chapter in both her career and Kerala’s evolving electoral landscape.
