"Why such huge uproar?": G Sudhakaran challenges CPM’s reaction in Ambalappuzha

ALAPPUZHA: Former minister G. Sudhakaran has taken to social media to question whether such a massive uproar was necessary to confront him now that he is running as an independent. His remarks follow a protest demonstration and a political clarification meeting organised by the CPM Ambalapuzha Area Committee against his candidacy.

In a pointed Facebook post, Sudhakaran mocked the party’s mobilisation efforts: "It was announced that 5,000 people would demonstrate. Is such a big uproar needed to confront me? District Secretary R. Nassar was a KSU member during his college days before joining the SFI. It is that same Nassar who has now announced he will 'handle' me."

Facebook post by G. Sudhakaran:

It was announced that there would be a massive demonstration of 5,000 people to confront me. Is such a huge uproar really necessary to deal with an independent candidate? During the half-kilometer demonstration led by the District Secretary and the public meeting that followed in Ambalapuzha, violent threats were made, and party office-bearers demanded that I be "exposed." District Secretary R. Nassar used the platform to clearly outline his politics, stating, "We will show him. We should have expelled him earlier, but I was not lucky enough to do so." At the same time, the chairman, District Committee member Omanakuttan, and the Area Secretary, Shamji, who delivered the welcome speech, labeled me a "class traitor" and declared that they would not tolerate me. There were also explanations regarding the positions given by the party to Sujatha Sudhakaran, and MLA Salam unleashed his usual outrageous attacks.

While the organisers' opponents claimed 700 people participated, supporters spread news that there were up to 2,000; in reality, there were about 1,200. In today’s situation, that is not a bad number, but consider this: there are about 3,500 party members in this assembly constituency alone, and 250,000 members of the general public. Whether it was 700 or 2,000, not even half of the party members participated. How many of the general public actually attended? It was announced that there would be a demonstration of 5,000 people. Is such a big uproar really needed to confront me, an independent? And speaking of District Secretary R. Nassar—he was originally a KSU member back in college before joining the SFI when he moved on to his degree. Later, he became a party member. It was I, the secretariat member, who used to call the meetings of party members in the SFI. And now, it is that same Nassar who has announced that he will "handle" me.