Sarin visits CPI(M) district office, says he will be proud to accept party membership

The Left Independent candidate will begin his campaign on Saturday with a roadshow

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate in the Palakkad Assembly constituency P. Sarin got a boost of confidence when he reached the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] district office here and met senior leaders such district secretary E.N. Suresh Babu and former MP N.N. Krishnadas hours before CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan announced his candidature.

Dr. Sarin reached the CPI(M) office in an autorickshaw, giving indications that autorickshaw could be his poll symbol, and left the office on a motorcycle riding pillion and wearing a helmet. Some of his friends commented that he might choose helmet as his symbol.

Dr. Sarin said he had already become a comrade, and would be proud to accept the CPI(M) membership if the party offered it. He said his voice would be the voice of the Left, and his fight would be against the BJP.

Earlier the CPI(M) district secretariat held under the chairmanship of A.K. Balan decided to field Dr. Sarin as an Independent candidate in Palakkad, and left the announcement to be made later by the party State secretary. The CPI(M) expects that Dr. Sarin could garner a good number of Congress votes. CPI(M) leaders greeted Dr. Sarin with red shawls at the office.

Dr. Sarin will begin his campaign on Saturday with a roadshow in the afternoon. He said the BJP was not there in the picture in the past two days, and the CPI(M) set a model for other parties about the right way of choosing a candidate.

He made fun of his Congress rival, Rahul Mamkootathil, saying that he was a sycophant within the party.

‘Justifies candidature’

Mr. Balan justified the candidature of Dr. Sarin within hours after he left the Congress. “The CPI(M) fielded Aryadan Mohammed, who was an accused in the Kunhali murder, even before the incident was forgotten; we supported Aryadan against Mullappally Ramachandran. We choose candidates on the basis of political circumstances,” he said.

Mr. Balan said that the Congress and the BJP had made a deal in Vadakara, and Palakkad was a sequel to that. “In Vadakara, BJP voters helped Shafi. In Palakkad too they have a deal,” he said.

Meanwhile, P.V. Anvar, MLA, warned Dr. Sarin that he too would meet Mr. Anvar’s destiny.

BJP nominee

BJP district president K.M. Haridas described Dr. Sarin’s candidature as an example of the CPI(M)’s political depravity. He said the BJP had not approached Dr. Sarin. However, Dr. Sarin challenged the BJP leadership to prove their claim. He said it was the BJP leadership that approached him before he left the Congress.

The BJP parliamentary board will declare the BJP candidate on Saturday.

Published - October 18, 2024 09:27 pm IST