Mammootty photo with DYFI MLA Vijin reignites Left backlash online
Synopsis
A single Facebook photo of Mammootty with DYFI MLA M. Vijin has reopened a wound the Kerala Left thought it had closed. Despite a clarification from CPI(M)’s K. Rafiq and a public defence by then CM Pinarayi Vijayan, grassroots resentment over the Wayanad incident has clearly not faded — and it is now spilling over onto a party MLA who simply shared a selfie.
Key Takeaways
DYFI Kerala state secretary and MLA M.
Vijin shared a photo with Mammootty on Facebook on 28 October 2026 , drawing angry reactions from Left supporters.
The backlash traces to an earlier incident where Mammootty reportedly asked CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K.
Rafiq to keep distance during a Wayanad disaster relief visit.
Rafiq had clarified no insult was intended; then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly defended Mammootty and apologised to the actor over online attacks.
Despite both clarifications, a section of Left supporters continued to express resentment, with some announcing they were unfollowing Vijin.
Mammootty has been chairman of the CPI(M) -backed Kairali TV channel since the mid-nineties, adding context to the ongoing tension.
A photograph of Malayalam superstar Mammootty with Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Kerala state secretary and MLA M. Vijin has reignited a fresh wave of angry reactions from Left supporters on social media, reviving a months-old controversy that had previously drawn in then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The image was shared on Facebook by Vijin himself on 28 October 2026, with the caption: “A 25-year-old with 50 years of experience.”
What Triggered the Backlash
The renewed anger traces back to an incident earlier this year, when Mammootty visited homes constructed for survivors of the Wayanad disaster. During the visit, the actor reportedly asked CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K. Rafiq to maintain some distance from him. According to reports, Mammootty told Rafiq: “Won’t people misunderstand and think I have come here for you if you keep walking alongside me all the time?”
The remark sparked immediate controversy, with a section of Left supporters accusing the actor of disrespecting the party functionary. Rafiq clarified the following day that no insult was intended, adding that Mammootty had called him over the phone to explain that he was concerned his presence beside the district secretary might be misread by onlookers.
Chief Minister’s Intervention and Its Limits
The controversy had been significant enough for then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to publicly defend Mammootty, going so far as to apologise to the actor over what he called unwarranted online attacks. Vijayan stated it was wrong to criticise someone who had visited Wayanad with goodwill. Despite the double intervention — both Rafiq’s clarification and the Chief Minister’s defence — resentment evidently persisted among a vocal segment of the Left’s online base.
Reactions to Vijin’s Post
The comments on Vijin’s latest Facebook post reflect that simmering discontent. Several users questioned why party leaders continued to associate with or show deference to Mammootty. Many asserted that Rafiq and the party’s broader cause mattered more to them than any film star. Others invoked the party’s tradition of honouring political martyrs as their “real heroes,” contrasting them with celebrities. Some users announced they were unfollowing Vijin over the post, while others criticised the MLA directly for posing with the actor.
Notably, a recurring theme in the comments was the perceived unfairness of party leaders appearing to seek proximity to Mammootty, given that Rafiq had reportedly faced an uncomfortable situation during the original Wayanad visit.
Mammootty’s Long-Standing Left Connection
The controversy carries an added dimension: Mammootty has been the chairman of Kairali, the CPI(M)-backed television channel, since its inception in the mid-nineties — a decades-long association that makes the recurring friction between the star and sections of the Left’s grassroots all the more layered. The latest episode suggests that institutional ties between a public figure and a political party do not automatically insulate against ground-level resentment, particularly when an incident is perceived — fairly or not — as a slight against a local leader.
Whether the backlash subsides again or continues to grow will depend, in part, on whether any of the key figures involved respond publicly to the renewed round of comments.
Point of View
And a public intervention by the Chief Minister himself — reveals how online political identity can outlast official party positions. What is striking is not that some Left supporters resent a star’s perceived slight, but that a sitting MLA’s routine social media post is enough to reopen the wound. For a party that prides itself on cadre discipline, the gap between its official line and its online base on this issue is worth watching. Mammootty’s decades-long association with Kairali makes the recurring friction stranger still — institutional loyalty, it seems, does not automatically travel to the grassroots.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Left supporters angry at Mammootty over the DYFI photo?
The anger stems primarily from an earlier incident in which Mammootty reportedly asked CPI(M) Wayanad district secretary K. Rafiq to maintain distance during a Wayanad disaster relief visit. Many Left supporters felt the remark was disrespectful to a party leader, and the sentiment resurfaced when DYFI MLA M. Vijin shared a photo with Mammootty on Facebook on 28 October 2026.
What did K. Rafiq say about the Wayanad incident with Mammootty?
Rafiq clarified the day after the incident that Mammootty had not intended to insult him. He said the actor called him over the phone and explained that he was worried his presence alongside the district secretary might be misunderstood by onlookers.
How did then Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan respond to the original controversy?
Then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan publicly defended Mammootty and apologised to the actor over the online attacks he received. Vijayan stated that criticising someone who had visited Wayanad with goodwill was wrong.
What is Mammootty’s connection to the CPI(M)?
Mammootty has been the chairman of Kairali, the CPI(M)-backed television channel, since its launch in the mid-nineties — a relationship spanning roughly three decades. Despite this institutional association, a section of the party’s grassroots supporters has repeatedly expressed discontent with the actor.
What did DYFI MLA M. Vijin post that sparked the latest backlash?
Vijin shared a photograph of himself with Mammootty on Facebook with the caption ‘A 25-year-old with 50 years of experience,’ on 28 October 2026. The post drew numerous comments from Left supporters expressing resentment toward the actor, with some users saying they were unfollowing the MLA over the post.
