Third popular leader to part ways with party: G Sudhakaran after M V Raghavan and Gouri Amma

ALAPPUZHA: In the history of the CPM, there have been a few popular leaders who were once very powerful within the party but later left or were expelled. Two well-known examples are K R Gouri Amma and M V Raghavan. Now, a third name has been added to that list- G Sudhakaran.

Both M V Raghavan and Gouri Amma were expelled from the party. However, Sudhakaran left the party on his own, protesting what he described as injustice within the party.

After leaving CPM, Gouri Amma and Raghavan formed their own political parties and later joined the UDF. Although Sudhakaran has not formed a new party, there are clear indications that he may eventually align with the UDF while remaining an independent for now.

During the 1987 Kerala Assembly election, the LDF had a famous slogan: “In the land filled with coconut trees, K R Gouri will rule Kerala.” However, after the election, E K Nayanar became Chief Minister again, even though he had not contested the election. Before the next term of power arrived, Gouri Amma was expelled from the party in 1994, mainly for challenging the party leadership, including E M S Namboodiripad.

M V Raghavan faced action from the party after he prepared an alternative document suggesting that CPM should form alliances with the Indian Union Muslim League and the Kerala Congress.

G Sudhakaran had long been an unquestioned party leader in Alappuzha. However, in recent times, he clashed with some party members over what he described as humiliation. He has repeatedly stated that his protest is not against the party itself but against certain individuals within it.

Sudhakaran has now announced that he will contest the election as an independent candidate in Ambalappuzha. Since he is no longer a party member, CPM cannot take disciplinary action against him.

Sudhakaran joined the CPM in 1967 while he was still a student. He later rose through the ranks, serving as state joint secretary of the Kerala Students Federation and the first state president of SFI. Over time, he became one of the most popular ministers in Kerala. He is the second of five children of P. Gopalakurup and L. Pankajakshi from Thamarakulam. His wife, Dr Jubilee Navaprabha, is a retired teacher from SD College Alappuzha. Their son is Navaneeth, and their daughter-in-law is Rashmi.

Sudhakaran’s younger brother, G Bhuvaneswaran, an SFI leader, was killed in a KSU attack at NSS College Pandalam.