Alappuzha (Kerala), March 12 (NationPress) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has responded robustly to veteran leader G. Sudhakaran following his announcement to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Assembly elections from Ambalappuzha, marking the end of a relationship with the party that has lasted over sixty years.

R. Nazar, the CPI(M) district secretary in Alappuzha, expressed that the party had shown significant respect towards Sudhakaran, particularly after he was replaced as the designated candidate for Ambalappuzha.

According to Nazar, Sudhakaran was afforded the respect and recognition within the organization, including a dedicated room at the district office.

“At his request, he was included in a newly established branch committee. However, it was he who began to distance himself from the party,” Nazar remarked, noting that senior leaders had approached him personally to maintain his membership when rumors circulated about his potential departure.

“The party has always honored him, especially as the sibling of a martyr. Even post-announcement, we hope he will reconsider his choice,” he added.

M.A. Baby, the party’s general secretary and a former Cabinet colleague of Sudhakaran, echoed similar thoughts, labeling the situation as “very unfortunate.”

State minister Saji Cherian stated that while Sudhakaran's decision to contest independently is his personal choice, it would not have “even the slightest impact” on the party's standing in Alappuzha.

He emphasized that the CPI(M) has never acted in a way that would warrant Sudhakaran's rejection of the party.

Meanwhile, in Sudhakaran’s hometown of Punnapra, posters have emerged sharply condemning his decision, branding him a “class traitor” and asserting there would be “no forgiveness and no votes” for him.

These posters, reportedly put up by party supporters, signal the initiation of a grassroots campaign against his independent candidacy.

Sudhakaran’s declaration has notably shifted the political landscape in Ambalappuzha, historically viewed as a CPI(M) bastion.

However, the leadership insists that the constituency’s voters prioritize the party's ideology and symbol over individual candidates.

Alappuzha is recognized as one of CPI(M)’s strongest organizational footholds, following Kannur.

Nevertheless, the district has experienced intense factional conflicts previously, with even prominent leaders like former Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan facing defeat in elections due to internal strife.

Sudhakaran, who was once a close ally of Achuthanandan but later became a supporter of Pinarayi Vijayan, recently claimed that he has been intentionally sidelined within the party.

Despite his departure, he has affirmed his allegiance to communist principles, viewing his independent run as a protest against prevailing trends within the party.

Political analysts are keenly observing whether his actions, reminiscent of K.R. Gowri Amma’s ousting from the party in 1994, could lead to a significant rift in the CPI(M)’s voter base in Alappuzha.