Kannur, March 13: Senior Congress leader and Kannur MP K. Sudhakaran posted an emotional message on social media on Friday, reaffirming his deep political and personal ties to Kannur. This is widely seen as a sign of his determination to contest in the upcoming assembly elections, despite emerging contradictions within the party.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Sudhakaran referred to Kannur as “the blood of my heart” and identified the local Congress organization as his identity. Reflecting on decades of political violence in the district, he stated that he has protected party workers “like a mother saving her children from stones, knives, sickles, and bombs.”
The senior leader also recalled the memories of Congress workers who lost their lives to political violence, asserting that their faces still appear before him when he closes his eyes. This post gains significance as political activities are ramping up ahead of the assembly elections likely to be held in April-May.
For several months, Sudhakaran has publicly claimed his intention to contest from the Kannur assembly constituency, signaling a return to state-level politics after serving in Parliament. According to party sources, he resigned from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee presidency following internal turmoil last year, and at that time, the national leadership informally assured him that he would be allowed to contest in the assembly elections.
However, earlier this week, the Congress central leadership indicated that current MPs would not be required to contest in state elections. This comment has sparked speculation within party circles about whether Sudhakaran will be asked to remain in Parliament or allowed to run for the assembly.
Against this backdrop, Sudhakaran’s return to the state from New Delhi on Thursday night while Parliament is still in session, along with the publication of this emotional post, has drawn significant attention in Kerala’s political circles.
In his message, the Kannur MP emphasized that he has never thought about his home or family while defending the movement, and every Congress leader in Kannur has politically developed under his guidance. He wrote, “There is no Kannur I do not know, and no Kannur that does not know me,” pledging to stand at the forefront in defending the party’s flag in the district.
Congress sources stated that a final decision on candidates has not yet been made, but Sudhakaran’s message clearly indicates that he will not easily step back from the elections in his political stronghold. His parliamentary colleague and party general secretary K.C. Venugopal remarked that there is nothing unusual about Sudhakaran’s return, as he has some party events in Kannur.