In a first in Kerala, Paniya tribal leader to head municipality

Wayanad: For the first time in Kerala, a person from the Paniya tribal community, one of the most socio-economically marginalised of Scheduled Tribes, has been elected to head a municipality. P Viswanathan, a CPM leader, will assume charge as chairperson of the Kalpetta Municipality following the recently held local body elections.

Adding to the significance of his victory, Viswanathan was elected from a general seat, unlike several Scheduled Tribe representatives who enter local bodies through reserved wards. He also secured the highest winning margin among all councillors in the municipality.

The development is being viewed as particularly notable in Wayanad, where posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes (including legislative seats and leadership positions in local bodies) have traditionally been held by members of the Kurichiya community. The latter is deemed a relatively influential tribal group in the district.

Viswanathan has held several organisational roles within the CPM, including that of area committee member of the party’s Kalpetta unit. He has also served as a leader of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Adivasi Kshema Samithy (AKS), the tribal wing of the party. For years, he has been associated with movements seeking greater rights and dignity for tribal communities.

Speaking to Onmanorama, Viswanathan said his elevation would serve as a source of encouragement for members of the Paniya community. “Fighting against all odds, we must continuously strive to overcome our own limitations as a community,” he said. “Without waiting for others to uplift us, we should struggle to achieve our goals and make use of every opportunity that comes our way,” he said.

He pointed out that many members of his community continued to depend on others even for basic administrative tasks such as writing applications. “I myself am awaiting the results of the ‘Thulyatha’ examination to obtain a Class X equivalency certificate from the Education Department,” he said, adding that while opportunities exist for the younger generation, they are often not fully utilised.

Viswanathan won from Edaguni, the 28th ward of the Kalpetta Municipality, by a margin of 196 votes. In the election for municipal chairperson, he secured 17 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Sarojini Odambath of the United Democratic Front (UDF), who polled 11.

Within the Paniya community, there is a long-held perception that it has not received adequate representation in government employment, political appointments, or legislative and local administrative bodies. This is despite them being the largest tribal group in the district.

According to data from the State Department of Scheduled Tribes Welfare, the Paniya community, with a population of over 75,000, constitutes to be the largest tribal group in Wayanad. The Kurichiya and Kuruma communities have populations of around 52,000 each. The total Scheduled Tribe population of the district stands at 1,68,690.