Senior Congress leader K Sudhakaran, MP, hit the headlines for the last two days as it was widely anticipated he could contest against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from the Dharmadom Legislative Assembly constituency in the state polls for which campaigning is well on. However, he decided to opt out even as the state and national leadership of the party held talks with him. The latter cited fellow MP K Muraleedharan deciding to contest from Nemom in an effort to portray that the Congress is vehemently opposed to the BJP which had won from that seat in the 2016 polls to elect its first-ever MLA in the state.
Sudhakaran, who is also a Congress stalwart like Muraleedharan, opens up on his decision not to contest against the chief minister in Dharmadom.
Why did you decide against contesting in Dharmadom?
The United Democratic Front (UDF) is aiming to win more than five seats in Kannur, and I have to concentrate on those constituencies. There is no point in contesting without advance preparations. The bogus names in the voters’ list have to be identified, and steps to exclude them should be initiated. We don’t have much time to campaign. As the Working President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), I have to reach all parts of the state (when the election campaign is on.)
What was that those who pitched for your candidature saw in you?
The LDF had won the (Dharmadom) Assembly seat by a margin of 36,905 votes (in the 2016 polls). Their lead decreased to 4,099 votes in the Lok Sabha polls. The party workers felt my candidature would have made the competition tough. They pressed for my candidature for three days since they love me. The high-command might have considered their feelings.
Don’t you think the UDF would have benefited across the state if you were in the Dharmadom poll fray against the chief minister when K Muraleedharan is contesting from BJP’s sitting seat Nemom?
The UDF is fighting against the BJP and the CPM and they are contesting in all the 140 constituencies. The contest in Dharmadom has to be viewed as the one against the most criticised chief minister.
Do you think the talks on fielding the mother of Walayar girls in Dharmadom could have been avoided?
There was nothing wrong in the KPCC leadership considering her as the candidate. She represents the ugly face of a government that had saved the murderers (of her teen daughters). The UDF will use the Walayar incident (on the girls' deaths) as a weapon against the chief minister.
Will the 'A' group be offered the post of Kannur DCC chief to end the row over the Irikkur candidate?
Oommen Chandy is arriving to discuss a formula to resolve the issue. The post of the DCC president is not a part of that formula. There were no talks over the post of DCC president. The issue in Irikkur will be solved. Congress had faced and solved bigger problems.
