The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is panicking as they are yet to finalise candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala. The ruling CPI(M) and CPI announced their candidates within an hour of the ECI announcement on Sunday. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan has vowed that the Congress candidates will be announced within a day. There are major tug-of-wars and disagreements that need to be sorted before the Congress can enter the campaigning phase across the state.
Ambalappuzha in Alappuzha district, however, is one seat that Satheesan should not be worried about, as the UDF is set to back CPI(M) rebel G. Sudhakaran here, a new report said. A two-time minister and popular leader in Ambalappuzha, Sudhakaran cut ties with the CPI(M) over his sidelining.
Congress leaders had made the decision to back the septuagenarian after consulting with alliance leaders, Manorama Online said in a report. The Ambalappuzha seat in Alappuzha has remained a red bastion over the decades. In the 2021 polls, the incumbent MLA, Salam, defeated his nearest rival, M. Liju of the Congress, by a margin of 11,125 votes. Sudhakaran had won the seat in 2016 by 22,621 votes, while his victory margin was 16,580 votes in 2011.
There were also reports that public opinion suggests the Congress should consider Liju for a safer seat, rather than making him "cannon fodder" in the Left-leaning constituencies of Alappuzha. With Liju ruled out, finding a candidate with a fair chance of winning Ambalappuzha would be tough for the UDF.
Sudhakaran is immenesely popular in Amabalappuzha thanks to the many developmental initiatels he succesfully completed while serving first in the VS Achuthanandan cabinent and later in the first Pinarayi Vijayan candidate.
Sudhakaran left the party on 12 March. He had stated that his move was not a contest against the party and that he would not level allegations against it. He also warned that any character assassination would be strongly countered.
He questioned those who used the Left party's "two-term policy" to criticise him by asking how T.M. Thomas Isaac, his former cabinet colleague, was fielded from Pathanamthitta in the recent Lok Sabha polls. He also mentioned A.M. Ariff, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha seat against K.C. Venugopal from Alappuzha, before pointing out that 12 leaders, including incumbent Health Minister Veena George, are preparing to contest again. "You can't ask them [why they contested again] and you shouldn't ask me. Seats should be given to those who stand the best chance of winning; that's all I have to say," Sudhakaran said.
G. Sudhakaran had told the media that no leader had contacted him regarding alliances. The Assembly election in Kerala would be held on April 9.
