In a setback for the CPM ahead of the Assembly elections, senior leader and former minister G. Sudhakaran announced that he will contest as an independent candidate from Ambalappuzha. He said the decision was taken in protest against the alleged hostile attitude of the CPM district leadership and clarified that he has no plan to join any other party, but expects the support of the people.

The Congress indicated that it may consider supporting Sudhakaran, with Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan stating that the party would take a decision after internal discussions. Sudhakaran’s move is seen as significant in Alappuzha, a traditional CPM stronghold with a history of prominent Communist leaders.

A four-time MLA from Ambalappuzha, Sudhakaran was dropped from contesting in 2021 when the party replaced sitting MLAs who had completed two terms. He later faced criticism from district leaders, who accused him of not actively supporting the party’s candidate. In 2022, he was removed from the CPM state committee after decades of service, which further strained his relationship with the leadership.

During a press conference, Sudhakaran also alleged that he faced continuous attacks from party supporters on social media and that his complaints were not addressed by the leadership. He said the developments over the past few years led to his decision to contest independently.