THRISSUR : In a dramatic turn of events, Nattika MLA C C Mukundan, who was expelled from the CPI for anti-party activities, joined the BJP and revealed plans to contest from the constituency which he won in 2021 by a margin of over 28,000 votes.
After discussions with the BJP state leadership, Mukundan visited the district office of the party on Monday.
Speaking to mediapersons, Mukundan said that a group of CPI leaders who worked against him and the party were constantly looking to financially milk the constituency. “The party viewed Nattika as a payment seat. Even when it came to development projects, the party wanted me to line the pockets of its leaders,” he alleged. “In joining the BJP, I have only one thing in mind: the development of the people in Nattika,” he added.
Welcoming Mukundan, A N Radhakrishnan, state vice chairperson of the BJP, said Mukundan’s presence would increase the party’s acceptance among people. To a question whether BJP would assist in resolving his financial issues, including the revenue-recovery proceedings on his house, Radhakrishnan said that is Mukundan’s personal matter and that it was in no way linked to his joining the BJP.
Hailing from Anthikad, in Thrissur district, Mukundan was a CPI activist from a young age. He first made his name as trade-union leader.
In 2021, he bagged the CPI ticket for Nattika replacing two-time sitting legislator Geetha Gopi after she faced allegations of corruption. After it became certain that he would not make it to the CPI list of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, Mukundan lashed out at the party for not giving him a chance to retain his seat. Though Mukundan held discussions with the Congress leadership in New Delhi, it didn’t pan out as the local sentiment was against fielding him. The Congress has chosen Sunil Laloor as its candidate for Nattika. Mukundan said he expects to cash in on the support of non-partisan voters as a BJP candidate.
Meanwhile, CPI district secretary K G Sivanandhan said Mukundan’s candidature would not affect the party in any way. “The party will not dignify his stance with a response. He initially hoped to contest on a UDF ticket, before switching sides to the BJP. The development will not affect the party,” he added.
In the wake of Mukundan joining the BJP, the CPI in the district plans to move ahead with a petition to have him disqualified. “Mukundan should have resigned as MLA before shifting allegiance. We will be moving legally to have him disqualified,” senior leader V S Sunil Kumar said, adding that the party was waiting to know whether he would contest as an independent.