Thrissur: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran called former IT cell chief P Sarin a "traitor" for leaving the party just before the byelections. He asserted that the Congress would never reinstate him, even if he expressed interest in rejoining the party.

Sudhakaran dismissed the LDF's allegations of an 'unholy nexus' between the UDF and the SDPI in the Palakkad assembly constituency.

"We never approached SDPI members seeking their votes. No SDPI member contacted us, offering support in the polls. We did not ask any particular group to cast their votes for our candidate," he claimed.

Taking a dig at the CPM, he said that all attempts to tarnish the UDF's image had turned futile. He also sharply criticised P Sarin, accusing him of betraying Congress by joining the CPM to secure a candidacy in the bypolls.

However, Sudhakaran expressed disappointment over the front's poll debacle in Chelakkara. He told reporters the party would examine whether the organisation had failed in the election campaign.

Sarin was named the CPM candidate after heated political developments saw the former Congress IT cell chief expelled from the party's primary membership. Following Rahul Mamkoottathil's selection as the Palakkad candidate, Sarin came out publicly to decry the selection. He also said Opposition Leader VD Satheesan had hijacked the party in Kerala. Days after his outburst, CPM gave Sarin a rousing reception and named him the candidate against Rahul.