Overview

• President Droupadi Murmu appointed C Sadanandan to the Rajya Sabha’s social work category on July 14, two days after his elevation to BJP Kerala vice-president
• Sadanandan lost both legs in a 1994 CPI(M) attack in Kannur and has since served as an RSS district organizer and retired school teacher
• In February 2025 the Kerala High Court upheld seven-year sentences for eight CPI(M) members and increased compensation in the 31-year-old assault case
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders hailed the move as a tribute to grassroots sacrifice and youth empowerment
• Opposition figures from CPI(M) and Congress questioned his Rajya Sabha eligibility and view the nomination as a strategic political maneuver