THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The revelation by senior journalist G Sakthidharan that the CPM had planned to eliminate K Sudhakaran has come as a blessing for the Congress state president who is under a cloud of suspicion in the Monson Mavunkal case. It has also put to rest the political turmoil within the Congress — for the time being, at least.
On Monday, Sudhakaran was given a rousing reception by the Thiruvananthapuram District Congress Committee on his arrival at the airport. This was his first trip to the state capital after his arrest for links to the conman.
Speaking to reporters at Indira Bhavan, Sudhakaran said that he was targeted by the CPM leadership and that he had a narrow escape not once, but six times. “Those who tried to eliminate me now hold top positions in the CPM and the government and still conspire against me. I have always been careful to change my vehicle or take a different route so as to stay alive,” said Sudhakaran.
The current mood in the Congress is similar to the one following Sudhakaran’s arrest in connection with the 1995 train firing case involving an attack on senior CPM leader E P Jayarajan in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh. Now the party is keen to accord him receptions similar to the one arranged at Putharikandam Maidan then. After Kannur, the DCCs in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram are also planning similar functions.
Interestingly, factional leaders in the party who have been targeting Sudhakaran have conveniently forgotten their displeasure for him. Thanks to the CPM, internal issues in the Congress have now been swept under the carpet, senior Congress MP K Muraleedharan told TNIE.
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership has decided to intensify its protests against what it termed as vendetta politics against Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan. It decided to take out protest marches to SP offices in all 14 districts.
Tariq Anwar, party national general secretary in charge of Kerala, will inaugurate the SP office march in front of the DGP’s office in Vazhuthacaud. Meanwhile, the KPCC executive meeting on Wednesday will take up the Uniform Civil Code issue.