The Mahathma Library sowed the seeds of the Communist movement in Kanam. "The Life of Karl Marx" written by Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai, "Pattabhakki", other dramas by K. Damodharan, and similar books lead to a consciousness of the evils of inequality. The second general election to the State Assembly when Kangazha Baskaran Nair stood as a candidate on a Socialist party ticket, was utilized by young students to educate common people about socialist ideologies. T.K. Krishnan Nair was the first to become a party member and later, when he returned after graduation, a group was organized with Kanam Sivan Pillai, KK, Prabhakaran Nair, KK. Raghavan Nair etc. The "Janathiapathya Munnani" under leadership of Kadayanikadu Purushothaman Pillai had its propaganda machinery working in Kanam, along with Kangazha, Kadayanikadu, Mundathanam, Nedumkunnam, and neighboring villages. The "Rationkada Samaram" brought people to the street against the unauthorized price hikes by ration dealers by way of service charges, rounding off bills, etc. During the Panchayat election, a candidate, Perumal Pillai, was put against Mr. P.V. Varghese (who later became the first Kangazha Panchayat President), the Congress candidate, but failed to get representation to Kangazha Panchayat.