Palakkad Assembly by-poll: CPI(M)-BJP move to exploit ‘dissension’ in Congress over Mamkootathil’s candidature

The parties spotlight a letter ostensibly written by the District Congress Committee to the party’s national leadership requesting K. Muraleedharan’s candidature in Palakkad. Mr. Muraleedharan later confirms that his name was on the DCC list.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have moved to politically exploit the purported dissensions in the Congress over State Youth Congress president Rahul Mamkootathil’s selection as the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for the bypoll in Palakkad Assembly constituency.

The parties spotlighted a letter ostensibly written by the District Congress Committee (DCC) to the party’s national leadership requesting K. Muraleedharan’s candidature in Palakkad. Mr. Muraleedharan later confirmed that his name was on the DCC list.

The CPI(M) alleged that a “political shape-shifting clique” headed by Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Shafi Parambil, MP, in the Congress, had forsaken other leaders with a fighting chance in Palakkad to aid BJP candidate C. Krishnakumar.

The CPI(M) said Mr. Mamkootathil’s candidature was a quid pro quo for the Sangh BJP’s “tacit support” for Mr. Parambil’s victory in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency.

(The BJP emerged as a close runner-up behind the Congress in the 2021 Assembly polls in Palakkad. It also had a strong showing in the Assembly segment in the LS polls.)

Notably, the LDF has fielded P. Sarin, a Congress seat aspirant who deserted his party in protest over Mr. Mamkootathil’s candidature, as the ruling front’s Independent candidate in Palakkad.

In a bid to woo dissident Congress votes, Mr. Sarin has singled out Mr. Satheesan and Mr. Parambil for the self-interest-driven amoral pact” with the BJP and restrained himself from attacking other leaders.

He pointedly highlighted Mr. Mamkootathil’s allegedly disparaging comments about former Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and his family by visiting the Congress veteran’s final resting place in Thrissur.

The Congress moved quickly to salvage the situation. KPCC president K. Sudhakaran ordered an inquiry into how the internal party communication leaked. He conceded that Mr. Parambil had suggested Mr. Mamkootathil’s name, but the Congress high command took the final call.

Mr. Satheesan termed the controversy a deliberate act of misdirection orchestrated by the CPI(M) and BJP in tandem to throw public attention off track from scandals dogging the State and Central governments.

BJP State president K. Surendran said Mr. Mamkootathil’s allegedly disparaging comments about Karunakaran would drive Congress votes to his party’s fold. The party will likely pitch BJP leader and Mr. Muraleedharan’s sister, K. Padmaja, to campaign for Mr Krishnakumar in Palakkad.

Published - October 27, 2024 09:06 pm IST