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Narayanan's brother to contest local polls as independent

George Iype in Uzhavoor

Three years back, Uzhavoor village shot into prominence when K R Narayanan emerged as the consensus candidate for the post of President of India. Today, the first citizen's nondescript village in Kerala's Kottayam district is in the news once again thanks to his younger brother Bhaskaran.

Bhaskaran, 75, is trying his luck in local panchayat elections as an independent. But he is in the race not just to enter politics. Bhaskaran spurned a proposal from the Bharatiya Janata Party, but decided to enter the poll fray when youth in the area pleaded with him.

"My ambition is not to work for any political party. I want to work for the youth in Uzhavoor and adjoining villages. I have many brilliant plans if I win," Bhaskaran said, as he visited homes on foot. Keeping him company were a dozen youth activists of Uzhavoor, who felt Bhaskaran would win not because he was the President's brother, but because he was noble.

The President, sensing his brother's noble ambitions, rang up Bhaskaran to wish him good luck. "He called me to say that I will win," said Bhaskaran, adding, "He is happy that I am not any party's candidate."

Bhaskaran, who worked for nearly 10 years in London, has settled down in Uzhavoor. He stays along with his sister K R Gowri in a modest, two-room house that is maintained by the public works department, as it is the family home of the President of India.

The Uzhavoor bloc panchayat consists of seven wards with nearly 9,000 voters. Bhaskaran, who's symbol is a rising sun, is confident of victory on two counts: the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have not fielded any candidates and his village knows that his social service credentials are impeccable.

"He is nice and is an asset for Uzhavoor. I am sad to contest against him," said M N Raju, the Communist Party of India-Marxist nominee, the only official party candidate pitted against Bhaskaran.

The only problem that nags Bhaskaran is an allegation by some villagers that he is a BJP supporter. "Why should I be a BJP supporter? I do not have faith in any political party. I neither hate nor love any political party," Bhaskaran asserted.

He added, "My critics and some anti-social elements want to portray me as a BJP supporter to malign my brother's image."

He admitted that he has been attending functions organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. "Will I become a Catholic if I attend Sunday mass?" Bhaskaran retorted.

"I admire and love the discipline and patriotism of the RSS. It does not mean that I have any ideological or organisational affiliation," Bhaskaran said. "My politics has largely been influenced by my brother. We were born and brought up in a poor family. We still remain poor. But I should tell you that it is not our dalit status that made Narayanan the President of India. It is hard work, sincerity and integrity."

Bhaskaran said his political motive was not to work for dalits only. "For me, everybody, whether a dalit or upper caste person, is the same. My brother does not claim to be a dalit leader and has not amassed wealth like other politicians. He is committed and sincere. So am I," pointed out Bhaskaran.

The first citizen's brother confided that he had few programmes in mind for the poor and needy and unemployed youth and women of the village if elected. "I remember the days when Narayanan and me did not have money to buy clothes and pay for school fees. There are still families that struggle to educate children. I want to help them through innovative social programmes. Some national and international agencies have offered help," said Bhaskaran.

He ruled out seeking financial help from the President. "It is not proper to ask for money from Rashtrapati Bhavan. We are self-sufficient and content with whatever little we have in this house," said Bhaskaran.

Bhaskaran continues to get a monthly pension from the company he worked for in London. He now uses part of it for campaigning. Gowri runs a homeopathic clinic from home and earns enough to run the house.

Locals said that if Narayanan was a model citizen of India, his siblings were model villagers in Uzhavoor. "They do not exhibit any superiority complex because they are related to the President. They are one among us. Bhaskaran is simple and is the darling of Uzhavoor. Gowri gives free treatment to the poor," said Rajan Verma, a grocery shop owner.

Once he wins the panchayat polls, the villagers hope he can move on to contest the assembly elections next year.

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