‘LDF candidate not seen as Leftist’; V Kunhikrishnan to contest as independent in Payyanur

PAYYANUR: V Kunhikrishnan, who was expelled from the CPM, will contest as an independent candidate from Payyannur, a CPM stronghold, in the assembly elections. Former CPM leader V Kunhikrishnan told media that he hopes that the Congress will support him. Kunhikrishnan also said that the present CPM candidate T I Madhusoodanan cannot be accepted. Kunhikrishnan announced his candidature at the press meet convened.

‘I am requesting everyone's support. I will not contest as part of any front. The party in Payyannur should not be thrown to the mafia. I am contesting the election as a continuation of the anti-corruption fight that I raised earlier within the party. I thought Madhusoodanan would not be made a candidate. Despite all these allegations, he was not removed. I have to contest to take my fight forward. This is a fight against corruption and not against the Left.

The LDF candidate is not seen as a Leftist. Madhusoodanan has the approach of a bourgeois political leader. How can someone who embezzled martyrs' funds be seen as a Leftist? My decision is to expand the fight against corruption from within the party to the outside.

I took up this fight because I don’t want the party and the Left to be defeated. I was forced to stand independently under intense pressure from party supporters and relatives. I have not held official talks with the Congress yet. However, I hope that my fight against corruption will get great support from the people and other political parties,’ clarified V Kunhikrishnan.