I am not anti-Vijayan, says veteran CPI-M leader Sudhakaran

Alappuzha (Kerala), March 15 (IANS) Veteran CPI-M leader and former Kerala minister G. Sudhakaran on Saturday slammed his detractors who are attacking him on social media, especially after he attended a meeting organised by the Congress in the state capital on March 12. 

"I have been a Communist and I will always be a Communist. I am not anti-Pinarayi Vijayan but there is a concerted attempt to project me like that," a peeved Sudhakaran said when media persons asked him about the increased cyber attack against him.

There are quite a number of very active social media accounts which go hammer and tongs against anyone who speak against the CPI-M.

"There is nothing that is called cyber workers in the CPI-M. In fact, those who do this are against the party. I challenge all those indulging in slandering me to come out in the open and speak against me. There are maybe around 10 or 15 in Ambalapuzha (Sudhakaran’s home town and former Assembly constituency) who are against me. This is nothing but political fatherlessness that’s happening," an angry Sudhakaran said.

Sudhakaran, over the years, has established himself as a no-nonsense Communist and during 10 years as a minister, he held charge of the Cooperation Department in the V.S.Achuthanandan government (2006-11) and of the PWD in the first Pinarayi Vijayan government (2021-16).

On both these occasions, he was able to run his departments with ease and also won applause from the Congress-led Opposition.

Incidentally, Sudhakaran came to the limelight ahead of the recent four-day state party conference, when news surfaced that he did not even get an invite for it.

Questions were asked why he failed to get a customary invite, which is handed over to veteran CPI-M leaders, and it was speculated that he is not in the good books of Chief Minister Vijayan.

In 2021, Sudhakaran got a jolt when the CPI-M decided to keep out all those who had contested three or more times at a stretch and is strict in retiring all those who turn 75 years old.

Sudhakaran turns 79 in November but continues to be a media favourite.