Thennala Balakrishna Pillai: The 'Inimitable' of Kerala politics

Some used to ironically chatter about the Khadi White Cotton Shirt worn by many congress leaders losing sheen over the years. This was a jibe taken at their fading political career. Though it was widely used, the remark would always fall flat in front of veteran leader Thennala Balakrishna Pillai.

Pillai’s standard white Khadi shirt and dhoti had a different appeal, unlike other politicians. The white colour used to make a halo around him, helping people recognize him as a man of value. For Thennala, the whiteness was purity which he inculcated in his career with high reverence.

The Thennala path in politics is easier to admire than emulate. At a time when politicians craved wealth and fame, Thennala chose to travel a different path and ended up as an enigma in the milieu of politics.

Thennala had 17 acres of land in his name when he stepped into politics at the request of people from his hometown Sooranad in Kollam. As an MLA twice, Rajya Sabha member three times, and KPCC President twice, it would be normal for people to guess that his fortunes might have increased tenfold from his nascent days. To the surprise of many, when Thennala retired from active politics, he just had eleven cents of swamp land to his name.

He sold most of his land for his election campaign without troubling the party over election funds. A journalist once asked Thennala why he, despite being a dexterous politician gave up the chance to amass financial security in life. Thennala restricted his response to a smile. The response itself showed his handling of media which was a result of experience acquired by tackling tough waters.

During the heightened group war between K Karunakaran and A K Antony, it was Thennala’s intervention that paved the way for reconciliation. When the UDF, led by the Congress, came to power with a huge majority in the 2001 assembly elections, Thennala was the KPCC president. Maybe, there would not be any other KPCC president who has faced massive injustice from the party despite giving life and soul to the organisation.

Whoever he tried to persuade, Thennala became a victim of that group's politics. To all his efforts to pacify tensions, the High command responded by requesting his resignation. Thennala being a man of etiquette, did so and walked down the steps of Indira Bhavan sporting a smile.

Thennala represented the Adoor constituency in the assembly twice. Although he was considered for the ministerial post once, the decision was overturned at the last minute. Thennala Balakrishna Pillai was the chairman of many of the party's organizing committees. It was Thennala who put forward the idea of ​​making CH the Chief Minister to keep the dominant faction of the League together when the crack widened within the UDF. He helped many young politicians achieve glory with his 'sleight of hand'. However, Thennala failed to bring that magic touch to his own political career. He was a close friend of 'Kerala Kaumudi'. We join in the grief of his bereaved family.