Alappuzha/Kottayam (Kerala) | The council of SNDP Yogam, a prominent organisation of the numerically strong Ezhava community, on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for its long-awaited unity with NSS, the forward Nair community outfit, bringing together two major Hindu caste formations in Kerala just ahead of the Assembly elections.

Saint reformer Sree Narayana Guru is the founder of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, while the Nair Service Society was founded by the renowned social reformer Mannath Padmanabhan. Both these organisations enjoy significant influence among the members of their respective communities.

"The unity will become a reality," said NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair in Changanassery, soon after SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan in Alappuzha announced that his son Thushar Vellappally, who is also SNDP Yogam vice president, will meet the Nair to take the matter forward.

Talking to reporters after the SNDP leadership meeting, Natesan said the organisation has no hostility towards any community and that its effort is to ensure the advancement of everyone, from the Nayadi community (most backward class) to the Nasrani community (Christian community).

However, Natesan, who recently made some controversial remarks against the Muslim League, a key partner of the Congress-led UDF, said that when a comment was made about the party, it was interpreted as hostility towards the Muslim community.

He said that criticising the Muslim community is not the SNDP's style.

"The SNDP is an organisation that believes in moving forward with coordination and harmony with all communities," he added.