I deleted the message after candidate was declared: K Muraleedharan on DCC letter row

Palakkad: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan responded to recent speculation regarding a letter from the Palakkad District Congress Committee (DCC) requesting his nomination for the upcoming Palakkad Assembly byelection. He stated that the circulating letter is old and should not be a topic of discussion. "I am not aware of how the letter has surfaced now. Once the leadership decided on the candidate, I deleted the letter from my mobile on the same day. There is no need for further discussion on this matter," he said.

Muraleedharan acknowledged that it is not unusual for such letters to be sent to the leadership, but he emphasised that the ultimate decision on candidate selection rests with them. Contradicting DCC President A Thankappan's remarks, he asserted that the letter he received included the signatures of both the president and Palakkad MP VK Sreekandan.

According to the letter, released on Saturday, allegedly sent by the DCC President to the Congress leadership, advocated for Muraleedharan's nomination, stating that he is the suitable candidate to retain the seat. The letter further claims that all DCC officebearers support Muraleedharan’s candidacy, asserting that he is well-positioned to effectively challenge the BJP.

However, Thankappan told Manorama News that they had considered several candidates for Palakkad, including VT Balram and Rahul Mamkootathil. He clarified that his signature does not appear on the letter that exclusively mentions Muraleedharan's name and refuted its authenticity. Thankappan suggested that this situation is part of an attempt to create discord in the candidate selection process.