Alappuzha, Jan 15 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and former MLA Shanimol Usman on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Kerala Police against the administrator of a social media group for allegedly circulating false and defamatory information claiming that she was planning to join the CPI-M.

Speaking to reporters after filing the complaint, Usman dismissed the reports as baseless and politically motivated.

She said the claim that she would soon cross over to the CPI(M) was completely untrue and had originated from a CPI(M)-linked social media handle.

“I came up through student politics and I assure everyone that till my last breath, I will remain a Congress worker,” she said, adding that she would pursue appropriate legal remedies against those responsible for spreading the misinformation.

Usman said the circulation of such reports had damaged her political credibility and created unnecessary confusion among party workers and the public.

She maintained that the decision to approach the police was taken to prevent further spread of false narratives and to fix accountability.

The 59-year-old leader won the Aroor Assembly by-election in 2019, marking a significant political comeback for the Congress in the constituency.

However, she failed to retain the seat in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Usman holds the distinction of being the first woman leader from Kerala to serve as a secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

The complaint comes amid heightened political activity in the state, triggered by recent high-profile party switches.

Earlier this week, senior CPI(M) leader and three-time former legislator Ayisha Potty made a surprise announcement by joining the Congress, a move that came as a shock to the ruling Left party.

With Assembly elections approaching, the defection of a prominent CPI(M) leader has intensified political speculation, particularly on social media platforms.

In this backdrop, rumours surrounding Shanimol Usman’s alleged political shift gained traction online, prompting her to take legal action to deny the claims and protect her political standing.

–IANS

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