--- title: "Veteran actor Devan quits BJP, accuses Kerala unit of abandoning Guru’s ideals" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/devan-quits-bjp-kerala-ideals-drift-iy99u publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-16T12:30:40.977Z modified: 2026-08-16T15:00:07.892Z language: en-IN --- # Veteran actor Devan quits BJP, accuses Kerala unit of abandoning Guru’s ideals Malayalam actor Devan announced his resignation from the BJP, alleging the party’s Kerala unit has moved away from Sree Narayana Guru’s social reformist ideals. He spoke at the Kanichukulangara temple in Alappuzha where SNDP Yogam oversees administration. ## Key takeaways - Devan publicly announced his resignation from the BJP in Kerala, citing a departure from Sree Narayana Guru's social reform ideals. - The announcement took place at a temple administered by SNDP Yogam in Alappuzha, with SNDP’s leadership connected to the temple's administration. - He claims an ongoing misalignment between his political orientation and the BJP's Kerala leadership for the last five years, and says he decided to part ways in early 2026. ## What Happened Veteran Malayalam film actor Devan stated publicly that he would resign from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the party’s Kerala unit of drifting away from the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru’s ideals. The declaration was made at a function held at the Kanichukulangara Devi temple in Alappuzha, a temple administered by an SNDP Yogam-controlled body led by Vellapally Natesan. Devan described his political stance as grounded in Guru-based social ideals and claimed that over the past five years these ideals have not been reflected in the BJP in Kerala. He asserted that the current line of the Kerala BJP does not align with his political orientation guided by the Guru’s ideas. He also noted that he had decided to part ways with the BJP in early 2026 and chose to make the declaration at the temple. Devan highlighted his past involvement with the BJP, including his work toward electoral victories for BJP candidates and specifically mentioned contributing to the victory of BJP’s state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the 2026 Assembly elections. He asserted that Chandrasekhar cannot deny this contribution. The resignation comes amid a backdrop of ongoing controversies within the party’s Kerala unit, including allegations of election fund misallocation, leadership absenteeism, factionalism, and questions about political orientation, which have been denied by BJP leadership. The report also notes a central government amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act that has raised concerns about BJP’s outreach to Kerala’s Christian community and certain backward-class voters, a group that supported the party in the 2026 Assembly elections. ## Why It Matters The move places Devan as a high-profile former BJP officeholder publicly challenging the party’s stance in Kerala, potentially affecting intra-party dynamics and public perception of the BJP’s social justice outreach in the state. If Guru-inspired political rhetoric remains a point of reference for a segment of Kerala voters, Devan’s departure could influence ongoing debates about the alignment between party policies and social reformer-inspired ideals in the region. The incident occurs against a backdrop of internal party disputes and external policy developments that could shape electoral strategy and community outreach in Kerala. The central amendment to FCRA, noted in the report, is cited as a factor influencing the BJP’s relationship with minority and backward-class voters, a critical segment in the state’s political calculus. ## Background Devan began his political career in 2004 by launching the Kerala Peoples Party, which he later merged with the BJP in 2021 at the invitation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He has previously served as the BJP’s State vice-president in Kerala and has claimed to have actively contributed to the party’s local election victories, including the 2026 Assembly elections’ outcomes for BJP’s state leadership. The venue of the announcement, the Kanichukulangara Devi temple, is under the administration of SNDP Yogam, with Vellapally Natesan serving as its general secretary and heading the temple’s administration. ## Key Facts - Devan, a veteran Malayalam film actor, announced his resignation from the BJP in August 2026. - He is identified as the BJP’s State vice-president in Kerala at the time of the announcement. - The declaration occurred at the Kanichukulangara Devi temple in Alappuzha, a site controlled by SNDP Yogam’s administration. - Devan claims the BJP in Kerala has not reflected the social reformist ideals of Sree Narayana Guru over the past five years. - He states he decided to part ways with the BJP in early 2026 and chose to reveal the decision in the temple setting. - He asserts he contributed to BJP victory, including backing the party’s state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar in the 2026 Assembly elections. - BJP’s Kerala unit has faced allegations of election fund misutilization, leadership absenteeism, and factionalism, which the party has denied. - The central government's recent Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act amendments are cited as affecting BJP’s outreach to Kerala’s Christian and certain backward-class voters, a demographic that supported BJP in 2026. ## What Happens Next The material provided does not include a stated next step beyond Devan’s expressed intention to quit the BJP and his framing of the reasons for leaving. Any further developments would depend on subsequent statements from Devan or party leadership, as well as potential formal steps toward modification of party membership or public activity. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/devan-quits-bjp-kerala-ideals-drift-iy99u Reported from: Multiple Sources