Expelled Congress leader Sarin’s chances of becoming LDF pick in Palakkad bypoll brighten as CPI(M) district secretariat meets

Minister M.B. Rajesh says CPI(M) is keen to ‘pre-empt votes of Congress discontents flowing to BJP’ in Palakkad Assembly constituency and hence the party will likely field a candidate who can harness disgruntled Congress votes to LDF

Expelled Congress leader P. Sarin’s chances of emerging as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate in the Palakkad Assembly bypoll in Kerala appeared to brighten by the minute on Friday (October 18, 2024).

Mr. Sarin told reporters in Palakkad that CPI(M) district secretary E. N. Suresh had contacted him. “Mr. Suresh said he had proposed my name as the party’s candidate for the Palakkad Assembly bypoll in the district secretariat. Now it is for the CPI(M) higher committees to decide”, he said.

Minister M.B. Rajesh said the CPI(M) was keen to “pre-empt votes of Congress discontents flowing to the BJP” in the Palakkad Assembly constituency. “Hence, the CPI(M) will likely field a candidate who can harness disgruntled Congress votes in Palakkad to the LDF fold”, he said. 

CPI(M) Central committee member A. K. Balan also appeared to suggest that Mr. Sarin might emerge as the LDF’s pick for Palakkad.

Mr. Balan told reporters in Palakkad that the LDF would frame Mr. Sarin’s grave accusation that the Congress had aided the BJP in the Thrissur parliamentary segment as a quid pro quo for helping Shafi Parambil in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 elections as the main political talking point in the Palakkad Assembly bypoll. 

‘A guardian of Congress secrets’

“We knew the Congress had struck a deal with the BJP in Vadakara. Now, we have an important witness in Mr. Sarin, a guardian of Congress secrets, to build the LDF’s case against the Congress-BJP unholy nexus before the electorate in Palakkad”, Mr Balan said. 

Mr. Balan dismissed questions about Mr. Sarin’s about-turn on the latter’s past hostility to the CPI(M). He said the CPI(M) discerned “no ideological inconsistency” in welcoming a former foe to the LDF fold.

He said “Marxist-Leninist thought sanctioned exploiting the prevalent political situation to the hilt to further the secular-socialist cause.”

Past tactical gambits

Mr. Balan said the CPI(M) had made such tactical gambits previously. “In 1980, the CPI(M) fielded Congress leader Aryadan Muhammed as the LDF’s candidate in the Nilambur Assembly constituency. At the time, he was among those accused of the murder of comrade Kunjali. The CPI(M) made the political decision when the martyr’s blood was still warm”, he said. 

Mr. Balan said the CPI(M) broke the vehemently anti-Left coalition during the 1980-82 period by engineering Congress leader A.K. Antony’s splinter group defection to the LDF.

He said the CPI(M) enlisted late Chief Minister K. Karunakaran’s Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) to bolster the LDF’s chances in 2004 Lok Sabha elections and 2005 local body polls in the State.

Mr. Balan said the CPI(M) Palakkad district secretariat would send its recommendation to the State Committee for approval.

“If there is a unanimous decision, CPI(M) State secretary M. V. Govindan will name the LDF’s candidate at the earliest”, he said. 

Published - October 18, 2024 12:22 pm IST