CPI(M) to field Sarin from Palakkad, U.R. Pradeep from Chelakkara

By fielding Sarin as LDF Independent, CPI (M) appeares keen to prevent BJP from receiving Congress discontents’ votes in the Palakkad byelection

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary M.V. Govindan on Friday said expelled Congress leader P. Sarin would contest as the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) Independent candidate for the bypoll in the Palakkad Assembly constituency.

Mr. Govindan named U.R. Pradeep, leader of the CPI(M), as the LDF’s candidate for the Chelakkara Assembly bypoll. 

He said the CPI(M) decided to field Dr. Sarin unanimously. The LDF accommodated Dr. Sarin after he rejected the Congress bid to aid the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Palakkad as a trade-off for helping Shafi Parambil win in the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency. 

By fielding Dr. Sarin as an Independent, the CPI(M) appeared keen to prevent the BJP from receiving Congress discontents’ votes in the Palakkad bypoll. The CPI(M)‘s optimism that Dr. Sarin would harness disgruntled Congress votes to the LDF fold reportedly made the dissident the top pick for the ruling front.

Mr. Govindan said the bypoll results would be a bellwether of Kerala’s voting behaviour in the 2026 local body polls and beyond.

 “Hence, the stakes are high, and the fight will be fierce. The BJP is the principal enemy. The Congress helped the BJP to open an account in the Nemom Assembly constituency in 2016. It channelled 86,000 votes to the BJP in the Thrissur Lok Sabha election. A clique in the Congress sacrificed K. Muraleedharan at the BJP’s altar as a quid pro quo for the Sangh Parivar’s aid for Shafi Parambil in Vadakara. The LDF will defeat the Congress’ tactical gambit in Palakkad,” Mr Govindan said. 

Mr. Govindan dismissed questions about Dr. 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.

Dr. Sarin rejected Congress’ ploy to aid the BJP and embraced the LDF’s political line. He said Independents such as Joseph Mundassery had powered the first Communist government helmed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad in 1967.

The CPI(M) had associated with Congress leaders A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy, and K. Karunakaran to further the Left cause by exploiting the prevalent political situation to the party’s advantage. Congress leader T.K. Hamza emerged as the CPI(M)‘s asset. “Left-leaning Independents are not an anathema for a CPI(M),” he added.

Published - October 18, 2024 09:32 pm IST