Kerala’s Palakkad poised for political churn as rebels could play spoilsport for the Left
Palakkad (Kerala): Palakkad is bracing for dramatic political realignments that could unsettle Kerala’s electoral landscape ahead of the Assembly polls.
Reports suggest that senior CPI-M leader P.K. Sasi and prominent BJP leader Prameela Sasidharan are in active talks to join the Congress, with the latter keen to engineer a high-voltage political moment when Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan’s ‘Puthuyuga Yatra’ reaches the district.
The Congress camp is said to have assured Sasidharan a ticket in either Shoranur or Ottappalam if she makes the switch.
Parallelly, there are indications that Sasi is also weighing the option of floating a new regional outfit to showcase his independent clout.
Political observers believe such a move could draw a section of traditional Left supporters.
Adding to the churn are reports that CPI-M dissidents in Kozhinjampara, Mannarkkad and Ottappalam are exploring the formation of a new platform, the Democratic Marxist Party (DMP).
Whether Sasi would anchor such an initiative or eventually align with the Congress remains the subject of speculation.
The stakes are particularly high in Palakkad, a district considered a Left bastion.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the CPI-M-led-LDF won 10 of the 12 seats, leaving just two to the Congress-led UDF.
The BJP, too, has pockets of strength and finished second in two constituencies in that election, underlining the district’s competitive undercurrents.
The district also has special significance as legendary Communists and former Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan won four straight wins from 2001 before retiring from politics, but a shocker is in the air as his long-time personal assistant A. Suresh is being targeted by the Congress to contest from the same seat.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Achuthanandan’s son V.A.Arunkumar is in the list of the CPI-M.
With multiple scenarios unfolding simultaneously, any political aberration in Palakkad is widely seen as likely to hurt the Left more than its rivals.