Wayanad tribal communities voice protest against Kurichiya monopoly in elections
Youth organisations representing the Paniya tribe have urged the Congress leadership to field a candidate from their community
Youth organisations representing the Paniya tribe have urged the Congress leadership to field a candidate from their community
Youth organisations representing the Paniya tribe have urged the Congress leadership to field a candidate from their community
Ahead of polls, Wayanad is witnessing protests among tribal communities over equal representation in electoral politics.
The constituencies, Mananthavady and Sulthan Bathery, are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates in Wayanad. Other tribal communities claim that the Kurichiya community has monopolised political representation.
Minister for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development, O R Kelu, is set to contest for a third consecutive term in the Mananthavady constituency. Meanwhile, Congress leader and sitting MLA I C Balakrishnan is preparing to contest for a fourth term in Sulthan Bathery.
Youth organisations representing the Paniya tribe have urged the Congress leadership to field a candidate from their community—the largest tribal group in Wayanad—which has never been represented in the state legislature despite its numerical strength.
Notably, all MLAs who have represented the ST-reserved Mananthavady constituency in the last two decades have belonged to the Kurichiya community.
According to 2023 data from the Department of Scheduled Tribal Development, Wayanad has a tribal population of 168,690 across 16 communities. The Paniya community constitutes the largest group with 75,590 members, followed by Kurichiya (26,586), Kuruma (26,208), Adiya (12,389), and Oorali (4,348). The remaining 11 communities together account for 8,911 people.
Educated youth from the Paniya community, many of whom remain unemployed, feel excluded from political representation despite their demographic strength. They allege that the Kurichiya community continues to dominate political positions and access to government jobs. Concerns have also been raised about inadequate representation of Paniya members among mentor teachers and tribal promoters appointed by the state.
Social divisions persist among tribal communities, with claims of limited interaction, absence of intermarriage, and continued social ostracism.
Recently, eight tribal organizations representing non-Kurichiya communities held a meeting under the leadership of M Geethanandan, a prominent tribal activist known for his role in the Muthanga land agitation. He is now coordinating efforts to unite marginalized tribal groups.
Tribal leader C K Janu of the Adiya community stated that she has demanded the Mananthavady seat for her party, Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS), which recently joined the UDF. She emphasized the need for representation of the most marginalized tribal communities in political institutions.
Geethanandan stated that discussions are ongoing with Congress leaders to field a young Paniya candidate, such as Manikantan Paniyan, an MBA graduate and former assistant professor at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU). He warned that if their demand is not met, a meeting scheduled on March 22 will decide further action.
Across communities, educated tribal youthS are increasingly voicing frustration over unemployment and lack of political inclusion. They argue that systemic barriers prevent their advancement in mainstream politics.
Meanwhile, Congress is reportedly considering Usha Vijayan, a Mananthavady Block Panchayat member, as its candidate. The NDA has announced P Syamraj as its candidate.
Discontent is also visible among the Kuruma tribal leaders, who feel sidelined despite their significant population in Sulthan Bathery. The Paniya community remains the largest group (26897 members) here as well, followed by Kuruma (18595) and Kattunayikka (11993), yet political representation remains uneven. The Kurichiya tribe has a population of just 243 in the constituency.