Once thought immune to defections, Kerala&rsquo;s CPI-M&nbsp;has begun to see its leaders jump ship in favour of the Congress and BJP. The pressing question now is whether this trickle will turn into a steady flow.
Just recently, AICC General Secretary (Organization) and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal visited the home of G. Sudhakaran, a two-time former CPI-M state minister and one of the most prominent communist leaders&nbsp;in Alappuzha.
While the visit was framed as a courtesy call, it is important to remember that Sudhakaran has been unhappy since being denied a ticket to contest the 2021 Assembly elections from his stronghold, the Ambalapuzha constituency. Notably, the 74-year-old veteran has represented Ambalapuzha for four terms. Known for his clean political record, Sudhakaran is respected even by his Congress rivals for his integrity and public life.
Sitting Lok Sabha member from Kasargod Rajmohan Unnithan said that Venugopal&rsquo;s meeting with Suhhakaran was significant.
&ldquo;There is more to this than meets the eye. Sudhakaran is known for his clean political track record. Everyone knows there is unrest in the CPI-M on account of the way the party and its present leadership are running things,&rdquo; said Unnithan, known for his razor-sharp tongue.
&ldquo;Look at what&rsquo;s happening in the CPI-M. There is unrest in almost all 14 districts&nbsp;because of how the party is going forward. Local leaders have started to shift loyalties towards Congress and BJP&nbsp;in the past week or so. It&rsquo;s still a trickle of defections but, if the Congress leadership plays its cards well, the trickle will soon become a steady flow,&rdquo; Unnithan also said.
On Tuesday, popular local leader M. Madhu from Thiruvananthapuram resigned from the CPI-M&nbsp;and, in a surprising move, announced plans to join the BJP.
&ldquo;Our district meeting decided to expel Madhu, and the state committee approved it. We were aware of his talks with the BJP,&rdquo; said CPI-M Thiruvananthapuram district secretary and Varkala MLA V. Joy.
Similar instances of unrest have been reported from districts like Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, and Palakkad.
State party Secretary MV Govindan in damage control mode, with the CPI-M being plagued by factionalism in the recent part. But whether his many meetings will stem the tide ahead of next year&rsquo;s party conference will remain to be seen.

Leaders from the state party have begun to move to Congress and BJP, amid discontent, factionalism

Kerala CPI-M Defection Trickle May Become a Flood

Leaders from the state party have begun to move to Congress and BJP, amid discontent, factionalism

December 3, 2024 | 14:06 IST