CPI-M Veteran K. Suresh Kurup Faces Exclusion by Kerala's CM Vijayan
Click to start listening
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 (NationPress) Veteran CPI-M politician K. Suresh Kurup has recently been sidelined by Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, marking yet another instance in a trend affecting key party figures. The 68-year-old was removed from the Kottayam district committee amid its reorganization.
Kurup, who has served four terms as a Lok Sabha MP and twice as an MLA, has been a significant player in Kerala's political arena and a close ally of the esteemed party leader V.S. Achuthanandan.
Starting as an influential student leader, he made his way into Parliament at just 28 years old, winning the 1984 Kottayam Lok Sabha election with impressive margins. His reputation steadily grew, enhanced by his gentle and approachable nature—a rarity among CPI-M leaders in the region.
Although Kurup lost his Lok Sabha seat in 2009, he pivoted to state-level politics, vying for the Ettumanoor Assembly seat in 2011. Following another successful election in 2016, many anticipated he would be appointed to a cabinet position or as Speaker, given his extensive experience and appeal across party lines. However, Vijayan, recognized for his pragmatic governance and selective favoritism, did not extend such opportunities to Kurup.
The latest changes in the district committee resulted in Kurup's removal, allegedly linked to a health-related letter he submitted in 2022. Despite reports of his health improving, his exclusion is interpreted as part of a larger trend under Vijayan's leadership.
V.N. Vasavan, the present Devaswom Minister and a close confidant of Vijayan, has risen to prominence as the key CPI-M leader in Kottayam. His ascent is attributed to his steadfast loyalty to Vijayan during the factional disputes involving Achuthanandan and Vijayan back in the early 2000s.
Kurup now joins a growing roster of notable CPI-M leaders who have been marginalized by Vijayan, including former ministers Thomas Isaac, K.K. Shailaja, and G. Sudhakaran.
Insiders within the party suggest that the sidelining of these leaders illustrates Vijayan's consolidation of authority, leaving little opportunity for dissent or perceived threats.
