‘Words and sarcastic smile hurt me’; Joining Congress is my own decision, says Suresh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Suresh, former personal assistant to V S Achuthanandan, said that his decision to join the Congress was entirely his own and not at the request of party leadership. Suresh, who had long been a trusted aide of VS, alleged that even after submitting appeals three or four times following his expulsion from the CPM, the party refused to reconsider. He said the party’s response was that even if he appealed 100 times, he would not be taken back. While talking to the media, he said their words and sarcastic smile deeply hurt him.

‘I took a decision after thinking many times whether I should express sympathy towards the CPM that shut its doors on me. Following that, I accepted UDF’s candidature. The Communist Party has now become one in name only. People loving the party and one going after power have become two separate groups. Those loving power are now controlling the party. I decided to join Congress, India’s largest secular party at a time when Leftist values are eroding,’ said Suresh.

Reports say Suresh is likely to be fielded at Malampuzha in Palakkad. The Congress believes that fielding him could help them make gains in Malampuzha, a Left stronghold. Suresh had served as Achuthanandan’s PA for a long time. It is also reported that the UDF plans to field him as an independent candidate. Malampuzha is a constituency where both E K Nayanar and V S have contested. VS won from Malampuzha four times between 2001 and 2016. In the last election, A Prabhakaran was the candidate and won by a margin of over 25,000 votes.