Rebel CPM Member Alleges CPM-BJP Alliance in Thiruvananthapuram, Accuses Kadakampally Surendran
A local committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has leveled serious allegations of an unholy alliance between the CPM and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. Annie Ashokan, a member of the Chembazhanthi local committee, explicitly accused MLA Kadakampally Surendran of orchestrating this deal. According to Ashokan, Surendran’s motive behind these maneuvers is to secure votes for himself in the upcoming assembly elections.
Ashokan further elaborated on her accusations, stating that Kadakampally Surendran has consistently, both in the past and presently, manipulated candidate selections to favor the BJP. She claims that the strategy involves fielding candidates with minimal chances of victory, thereby ensuring a win for the BJP. This, she argues, is a reciprocal arrangement to garner votes for Kadakampally when he contests as an MLA. Ashokan also highlighted the presence of a “caste equation” within the Thiruvananthapuram district, particularly in Kazhakkoottam, and criticized what she termed Kadakampally’s “immense dominance.” She pointed out that individuals without a history of involvement in class or mass organizations have been strategically placed within the area committee.
Expressing her deep dissatisfaction, Ashokan revealed that the same candidate has been favored for 25 years in the party, where money and caste play significant roles. Despite her own three and a half decades of active service in the party, her name was not even considered for candidacy. She alleged that her complaints to the leadership were ignored and that grievances concerning the harassment she faced in various committees were suppressed. Feeling completely disregarded, Ashokan declared her intention to contest as an independent candidate.
Annie Ashokan’s decision to run as a rebel candidate against the CPM stems from her belief that the party has marginalized her since her tenure as the Pothencode Block Panchayat President from 2005 to 2010. Currently, she holds several key positions, including Chembazhanthi Local Committee member, Chembazhanthi Ward No. 2 Booth Secretary, Regional Secretary of the Farmers’ Labor Union, District Committee member of the Construction Workers’ Union, and CITU Area Committee member. Her candidacy as an LDF rebel in the Chembazhanthi ward of the municipality has ignited hopes among the United Democratic Front (UDF) and BJP fronts, especially considering that Chembazhanthi is currently a BJP-won ward.