G Sudhakaran Quits CPI(M), To Contest Kerala Polls as Independent Veteran leader and former minister G Sudhakaran has announced his decision to contest the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections as an independent candidate, marking a significant blow to the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) ahead of the polls. The move comes as Sudhakaran, a prominent figure from the Alappuzha district, resigns from the CPI(M) and vows to campaign on issues such as the criminalization of politics. Sudhakaran, who previously served as a five-term legislator and minister in the state government, will contest from the Ambalappuzha constituency—a stronghold of the CPI(M) that has historically elected senior party leaders like V S Achuthanandan and Susheela Gopalan. In a statement to the media in Alappuzha, Sudhakaran emphasized his commitment to communist ideology, stating, “Politics is the only weapon for the CPI(M). I will not join any other party or seek support from them. I will remain a Communist.” He also warned that personal attacks on him could lead to the party’s downfall, asserting, “If the party attacks me personally, the party will perish.” The decision to quit the CPI(M) follows months of tension within the party. Sudhakaran had previously announced on Facebook that he would not renew his membership, a stance that the CPI(M) leadership attempted to address by reaching out to him. However, he remained resolute, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s treatment of him. A member of the CPI(M) since 1967, Sudhakaran was a founding member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the party’s student wing, and played a key role in the 1977 campus violence incident that claimed his brother’s life.#g_sudhakaran #ambalappuzha #communist_party_of_india_marxist #alappuzha #students_federation_of_india
