Ambalapuzha: Deep roots of communism sowed by Punnapra-Vayalar uprising, the celebrated 'pal payasam' (milk pudding) offering at famed Sreekrishna Temple and the annual Champakulam boat race make the political and cultural brew of Ambalapuzha in Alappuzha district.
The emotive electoral discourse in this closely watched Kerala duel is about the tale of a good old 'comrade' turning into a poll-eve 'revisionist', triggering Left calls for avenging the 'betrayal' and Congress-led UDF's gleeful showcasing of a high-profile political convert.'
The man at the centre of this battle is 75-year-old G Sudhakaran, a former CPI-M state committee member and minister in previous LDF government. Sudhakaran cut his nearly six-decade-old umbilical cord with CPI-M by 'liberating' himself as a 'democratic independent' candidate and then slipped right into the lap of Congress-led UDF with the artful ease of changing a 'vesham' by a Kathakali artist.
Even those who had watched Sudhakaran skilfully trapeze from the VS Achuthanandan camp to the Pinarayi Vijayan camp, were taken aback by his pole-vault across political boundaries this time. The most common debating point here is whether UDF can use Sudhakaran as a handy bulldozer to erase this Left citadel that for the past four decades has elected CPI-M nominees, including Sudhakaran for three terms (2006-21). Congress' last victory here was in 2001.
This, however, is not the first high-profile revolt in CPI-M. In the past, the then mass leader MV Ragavan revolted following differences over a tactical line towards Muslim League. Another heavyweight, KR Gouri, rebelled over leadership tussle.
While Raghavan and Gouri formed their own parties to make it a larger fight against CPI-M in the company of UDF, for Sudhakaran, the party's once play-maker in this district, it was more about personal and local grievances after he was benched last election due to party's age/term cap. This triggered a tussle between him and the new party leadership team, including party MLA-cum-current candidate H Salam.
In his new avatar, Sudhakaran is positioning himself as a 'victim' of 'moral decay' in his old party and alleges 'political criminals' are in control of Alappuzha CPI-M. The CPI-M and Left are branding him as a 'class traitor' and have made it a prestigious fight to defeat him even as UDF is parading him as their prized trojan horse. Sudhakaran has fully transformed himself into a 'UDF-backed independent candidate' by dutifully donning the traditional Congress campaign accessories during his outings and squabbling with CPI-M brass, including Pinarayi.
Two factors -- Sudhakaran's clean image and the much-appreciated development works as former minister -- are earning him goodwill among the public, including some local Left supporters. "Whatever may be the issues, Sudhakaran's corruption-free record in his long public life and the role he played in the infrastructure development of this area can't be overlooked and that will earn him public support across political lines," said Babu, an autorickshaw driver associated with CPI-M trade union wing.
Sensing the UDF-powered Sudhakaran campaign making advances, LDF has reinforced its resistance with Pinarayi, with whom Sudhakaran had a relatively cordial personal equation until he parted company, himself campaigning in Ambalapuzha, dubbing his estranged comrade a "pitiable spectacle of opportunism".
On UDF-driven campaign of Sudhakaran, local Left leader Radhakrishnan said, "It is the Communist movement that made Sudhakaran a leader, MLA and minister. And now, he has chosen to backstab the very same movement because of his hunger for power. That is the issue here, nothing else".As the D-day approaches, Sudhakaran stands between the Left's grip and UDF's hope in Ambalapuzha even as he himself has embarked on a make-or-break 'agnipath'.
The emotive electoral discourse in this closely watched Kerala duel is about the tale of a good old 'comrade' turning into a poll-eve 'revisionist', triggering Left calls for avenging the 'betrayal' and Congress-led UDF's gleeful showcasing of a high-profile political convert.'
The man at the centre of this battle is 75-year-old G Sudhakaran, a former CPI-M state committee member and minister in previous LDF government. Sudhakaran cut his nearly six-decade-old umbilical cord with CPI-M by 'liberating' himself as a 'democratic independent' candidate and then slipped right into the lap of Congress-led UDF with the artful ease of changing a 'vesham' by a Kathakali artist.
Even those who had watched Sudhakaran skilfully trapeze from the VS Achuthanandan camp to the Pinarayi Vijayan camp, were taken aback by his pole-vault across political boundaries this time. The most common debating point here is whether UDF can use Sudhakaran as a handy bulldozer to erase this Left citadel that for the past four decades has elected CPI-M nominees, including Sudhakaran for three terms (2006-21). Congress' last victory here was in 2001.
This, however, is not the first high-profile revolt in CPI-M. In the past, the then mass leader MV Ragavan revolted following differences over a tactical line towards Muslim League. Another heavyweight, KR Gouri, rebelled over leadership tussle.
While Raghavan and Gouri formed their own parties to make it a larger fight against CPI-M in the company of UDF, for Sudhakaran, the party's once play-maker in this district, it was more about personal and local grievances after he was benched last election due to party's age/term cap. This triggered a tussle between him and the new party leadership team, including party MLA-cum-current candidate H Salam.
In his new avatar, Sudhakaran is positioning himself as a 'victim' of 'moral decay' in his old party and alleges 'political criminals' are in control of Alappuzha CPI-M. The CPI-M and Left are branding him as a 'class traitor' and have made it a prestigious fight to defeat him even as UDF is parading him as their prized trojan horse. Sudhakaran has fully transformed himself into a 'UDF-backed independent candidate' by dutifully donning the traditional Congress campaign accessories during his outings and squabbling with CPI-M brass, including Pinarayi.
Two factors -- Sudhakaran's clean image and the much-appreciated development works as former minister -- are earning him goodwill among the public, including some local Left supporters. "Whatever may be the issues, Sudhakaran's corruption-free record in his long public life and the role he played in the infrastructure development of this area can't be overlooked and that will earn him public support across political lines," said Babu, an autorickshaw driver associated with CPI-M trade union wing.
Sensing the UDF-powered Sudhakaran campaign making advances, LDF has reinforced its resistance with Pinarayi, with whom Sudhakaran had a relatively cordial personal equation until he parted company, himself campaigning in Ambalapuzha, dubbing his estranged comrade a "pitiable spectacle of opportunism".
On UDF-driven campaign of Sudhakaran, local Left leader Radhakrishnan said, "It is the Communist movement that made Sudhakaran a leader, MLA and minister. And now, he has chosen to backstab the very same movement because of his hunger for power. That is the issue here, nothing else".As the D-day approaches, Sudhakaran stands between the Left's grip and UDF's hope in Ambalapuzha even as he himself has embarked on a make-or-break 'agnipath'.
