Rebel CPI-M leader G. Sudhakaran, a former cabinet and party colleague of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, launched a sharp attack against Vijayan, rejecting claims of patronage and highlighting his own extensive political legacy within the Communist movement. Sudhakaran, a four-time CPI-M legislator and prominent leader from Alappuzha, emphasized his 63-year tenure in the Communist Party, which began when he was just 15 years old. He downplayed Vijayan’s influence on his political career, noting that during the 1967 period, Vijayan was relatively unknown in Travancore and limited to Thalassery in Malabar.
At a campaign event attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sudhakaran’s critical comments marked a significant political development. Despite being sidelined by the CPI-M in the 2021 Assembly polls and maintaining a low profile, Sudhakaran announced his decision to contest as an independent ahead of the recent election announcement. The Congress-led UDF promptly extended support, leading to Sudhakaran’s notable appearance alongside Rahul Gandhi.
Alappuzha, known as a Communist stronghold, has experienced internal factionalism over the years. In 1996, the district witnessed a major political upset when veteran CPI-M leader V.S. Achuthanandan, widely expected to become Chief Minister, was defeated by a local Congress candidate, underscoring internal discord within the party. Rahul Gandhi, speaking at the rally, welcomed Sudhakaran and highlighted the weakening ideological foundations of the Left, which he suggested had prompted leaders like Sudhakaran to align with the Congress. Sudhakaran, in turn, intensified his criticism, accusing the CPI-M under Vijayan of failing to support his martyred brother’s legal battle, which he claimed was financed using personal resources.
Sudhakaran also targeted senior CPI-M leader A. Vijayaraghavan and predicted electoral setbacks for the LDF in Alappuzha, suggesting that effective campaigning by the UDF could potentially reduce the front to just one or two seats. Earlier in the week, Vijayan, addressing election meetings in Alappuzha, labeled Sudhakaran a traitor and expressed confidence that voters would respond resoundingly to him in the upcoming April 9 polls.
