MALAPPURAM Twenty-one-year-old Sudheesh C. from a remote tribal hamlet in the forests of Nilambur is set to create an electoral history in Kerala. He is the first member of the primitive Cholanaikar tribe to contest an election in the State.
Mr. Sudheesh is the Left Democratic Front’s candidate for the Nilambur block panchayat from the Vazhikkadavu division. He is also one of the youngest candidates in the fray.
Although he passed the Plus Two examination, he still lives in the Alakkal colony, a hamlet deep inside the forest. It takes 9 km from Vazhikkadavu and 18 km from Edakkara to reach Alakkal, one of the remotest colonies in the elephant-infested region of the Nilambur forests.
Mr. Sudheesh said his grandparents used to live in caves. The Cholanaikars of Nilambur used to live in caves until a few decades ago, and they remained the most backward among the tribes. They continue to enjoy the primitive status among the tribes.
Specific objective
“We chose Mr. Sudheesh with a specific objective of involving the Cholanaikars in our civic development. He can do a lot for the development of his community,” said Suresh Kumar, CPI(M)’s Vazhikkadavu local centre member.
According to Mr. Sudheesh, safe transport continues to be one of the biggest challenges for the tribes living in the forests. The floods of 2019 washed away the bridge across the Punnapuzha in the forest, rendering the Alakkal hamlet virtually inaccessible.
“We got power supply last year. Now a safe road is a matter of utmost importance for us,” said Mr. Sudheesh.
N.C. John, a social worker involved in the uplift of the tribespeople, said Mr. Sudheesh’s candidature was history. “We have been trying hard to uplift the Cholanaikars and Kattunaikars through education. We need to educate at least three or four generations of them to bring them to the mainstream,” said Mr. John.
