From panchayat president to MLA: Remembering Kanathil Jameela’s inspiring journey in Kerala politics

Kozhikode, Kerala: Veteran CPM leader Kanathil Jameela, who passed away on Saturday, was a trailblazing leader who will be remembered for her unwavering dedication to her community. One striking example of her commitment was how she brought drinking water to the remote Kaniyamkunnu hill during her tenure as president in Thalakulathur panchayat, a feat that many considered impossible at the time.

At that time, the remote areas of Thalakulathur faced a severe shortage of drinking water. Despite repeated requests, officials from the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) refused to install the necessary pipelines. Residents approached the office directly and sought help through the panchayat, but their pleas went unanswered, until Jameela stepped in and made it happen.

With just two days left for Onam that year, Jameela personally travelled to the Water Authority office, citing the same issue. But officials again failed to respond. She said the officials first cited holidays and delays, but she waited for hours without leaving. As the panchayat did not have its own vehicle, she paid for a taxi from her own pocket to reach the office. Only after realising she would not return without a solution did the officials accompany her to the site. Soon afterwards, water reached the hill.

Jameela had once recounted the incident with visible pride at having won the battle for her community. She went on to serve in all three tiers of the local governance system, as president of Thalakulathur panchayat, president of Chelannur block panchayat and president of Kozhikode district panchayat. She also introduced several systems that were unfamiliar to the public during those years.

She once recalled that she had to announce the first Gram Sabha in her ward by shouting slogans through village streets, and as a beginner, she struggled to control a meeting that drew around 900 people.

Jameela was closely involved in the People's Planning Campaign from its inception, which she described as the driving force that lifted her from panchayat president to Koyilandy MLA and eventually to the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

On the 25th anniversary of the People's Planning Campaign, she shared her memories of participating in a major grassroots development effort and spoke passionately about the public projects completed during her tenure.

She also remembered a moment from her campaign as a district panchayat candidate, when an elderly woman recognised her and said: “I am Malu Amma. You sanctioned my pension. I am still receiving it...” Jameela said her eyes filled with tears, realising that a small act of service had been remembered for years.

Before the decentralised People's Planning Campaign, panchayats had little to no funds and development decisions remained in the hands of bureaucratic systems. There was no transparency on expenditure or leftover amounts. The introduction of Grama Sabhas gave ordinary people a platform to place their demands, something that was initially new and surprising to many.

In 2010, while Kanathil Jameela was serving in the district panchayat, the Snehasparsham project was launched, which remains associated with her name and is often cited as an example of her vision as a leader. She had then said that the greatest strength of 25 years of the People’s Planning Campaign was Kerala’s model of women’s empowerment.