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Alappuzha (Kerala), October 15 (IANS) Senior CPI (M) leader and former minister G. Sudhakaran on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on state Fisheries Minister and party secretariat member Saji Cherian and accused him of hatching a conspiracy to expel him from the party.
Speaking to reporters in Alappuzha, Sudhakaran said, “Some colleagues even burst crackers claiming that I have been expelled. A ‘tea party’ was organized to celebrate it, and Saji Cherian was also a participant in it. Action should be taken against him. Even some of his close associates tried to hand him over to the BJP. No one has defeated me in a fight. I am the only person on this earth.” “Speaking from.” Punnapara-Vayalar,” said an emotionally charged Sudhakaran.
The veteran leader stressed that he never spoke against the party.
“There is no need for Saji Cherian to confront me personally; that would not be appropriate. After the elections, a complaint was filed against me. Could such a complaint have gone ahead without Saji Cherian’s knowledge? Was he not involved in it?” asked Sudhakaran, who is known for his clean public image and reputation as a no-nonsense leader.
He also alleged that Cherian repeatedly made comments that were against the official line of the party.
Sudhakaran said, “He recently made 14 statements contrary to the party’s stand, yet no action was taken. What right does he have to advise me? He has neither the seniority nor the competence to do so.”
Interestingly, when Sudhakaran was the senior most leader in Alappuzha district, it was he who promoted Saji Cherian and helped him reach top leadership positions within the party.
Reacting to the growing internal feud, AICC general secretary and Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal said the developments were an internal matter of the CPI(M).
Venugopal said, “Sudhakaran and I share mutual respect. We may have ideological differences, but that has never affected our personal relations.”
Sudhakaran’s outspoken comments have created uneasiness within the CPI(M) for some time now. Tension escalated after Venugopal reportedly called Sudhakaran a few weeks ago, a meeting that created uneasiness within the party ranks.
Sudhakaran, once a close aide of veteran leader VS Achuthanandan, later aligned himself with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan when he became the state party secretary.
With Sudhakaran’s latest outburst, all eyes are now on how the CPI(M) leadership responds. Incidentally, Saji Cherian is accompanying Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on a marathon tour of the Middle East, which will begin later in the day.
–IANS
SG/SKP