Row over PDCC letter recommending Muraleedharan as Congress candidate for Palakkad by-poll

Palakkad, Kerala: A letter purportedly written by the Palakkad District Congress Committee (PDCC) to the AICC recommending senior party leader K Muraleedharan as the candidate for the Palakkad Assembly by-poll has sparked a row in Kerala, as campaigning intensifies for the crucial election.

The ruling CPI (Marxist) on Sunday claimed that the letter revealed lingering divisions within the Congress party regarding the candidacy of Youth Congress president Rahul Mamkootathil for the Palakkad seat.

CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan alleged that Mamkootathil has come as a candidate in the Palakkad bypoll through a 'special package' implemented by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and Lok Sabha MP Shafi Parambil.

It has now come to light that the Congress district leadership has unanimously suggested the name of former MP K Muraleedharan as the candidate, he told reporters in Thrissur.

"However, Satheesan and Shafi forced the DCC to review its decision. This has sparked a big controversy and debate within the Congress," he claimed and indicated that the situation could turn favourable for the Left Front in the November 13 bypoll.

A fresh row has erupted after a portion of two pages of the letter allegedly written by DCC president A Thankappan surfaced on Saturday.

The letter to Congress general secretaries K C Venugopal and Deepa Das Munshi, KPCC president K Sudhakaran and Satheesan reportedly stated that Muraleedharan should contest from Palakkad inorder to defeat the BJP's challenge in the bypoll.

The Palakkad bypoll was necessitated after the then sitting MLA Shafi Parambil of the Congress, was elected to the Vadakara constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Shafi, who had represented Palakkad since 2011, reportedly recommended Mamkootathil's candidacy to the party leadership.

Following this development, former KPCC digital cell convener P S Sarin resigned from the Congress and entered the fray as an independent candidate backed by the Left.

Justifying the candidacy of Sarin in Palakkad, the CPI(M) leader said he is a good choice as Congress leader Sashi Tharoor had described him as a brilliant candidate.

SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan also said Sarin is a smart candidate, he added.

Meanwhile, Muraleedharan said there were no more discussions with regard to the purported letter written by the DCC president.

"As the party has announced its official candidate, there is no need for more discussions on that letter," he said.

Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan also said the chapter was closed.

"During the time of elections, many will propose candidates. However, the candidate will be decided by the party leadership," he added.