Alappuzha, April 1 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on his former senior party and Cabinet colleague, G. Sudhakaran, accusing him of political opportunism after his decision to contest as an Independent candidate from Ambalapuzha.

Kerala goes to the polls on April 9 to elect 140 new legislators and as part of his outreach programme, CM Vijayan was at the hometown of Sudhakaran.

Addressing the media at Haripad, CM Vijayan said Sudhakaran would “say anything” to gain acceptance in his new political space, adding that he had effectively donned the “cap” of the Congress and was now disowning his past positions.

“To gain favour, he will make any statement,” the Chief Minister said, dismissing Sudhakaran’s recent claims.

A four-time CPI(M) MLA and twice a State Minister, Sudhakaran had been a prominent face of the party for decades.

He served as Public Works Department Minister in the Vijayan Cabinet between 2016 and 2021.

However, last month, he announced his decision to contest as an Independent candidate from Ambalapuzha in Alappuzha district, triggering his expulsion from the CPI(M), a party he had been associated with at the highest levels for over half a century.

Vijayan asserted that Sudhakaran’s exit would have no impact on the party’s electoral prospects.

“Opportunists will not cost us even a single vote. Workers stand with the party, not individuals,” he said, underlining the CPI(M)’s organisational strength.

The Chief Minister also rejected Sudhakaran’s claim that he could attract CPI(M) votes, terming it baseless.

He went a step further, alleging that Sudhakaran was effectively a joint candidate of the Congress and the BJP, a charge that reflects the intensifying political battle in the coastal constituency.

Vijayan maintained that Sudhakaran’s shift was not a sudden move but a calculated decision that had been in the making for some time.

As the campaign gathers pace, the episode has added a new layer of intrigue to the electoral contest in Ambalapuzha, once considered a CPI(M) stronghold.

Sudhakaran is pitted against his former junior party colleague and sitting legislator H. Salam and Vijayan has said that Salam will win easy.

–IANS

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