Alappuzha: Senior CPM leader and former minister G Sudhakaran has indicated that he may be ending his long association with the party, revealing in a strongly worded Facebook post that he has not renewed his membership this year. Sudhakaran, whose membership currently falls under a branch committee controlled by the Alappuzha district committee, also levelled sharp criticism against the party leadership for allegedly sidelining him after his removal from the state committee.

He also took exception to remarks made by the CPM State Secretary MV Govindan at a press conference, claiming the comment implied that he did not deserve any consideration and was followed by laughter from the media. The leader also shared a clip from the presser in his post.

In the post, Sudhakaran said he chose not to apply for membership renewal during the 2026 scrutiny process and therefore did not have to pay the levy or subscription. He noted that after being dropped from the state committee in 2022, he continued to function as a branch committee member and had been attending meetings regularly except for a brief period following an injury. However, he claimed that despite his 43 years in the state committee and 63 years of party membership, the district secretary had never once enquired about his role or participation. He added that over the past five years he had not been given any public responsibilities by the district leadership.

The veteran leader also expressed disappointment that he was not invited to a programme marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency held at EMS Hall near his residence, despite being, as he put it, the only surviving person in the district who had faced arrest, jail term, lock-up assault and a case for defying the ban during the early days of the Emergency. He further alleged that even his father was targeted in a social media post by a local committee member whom he described as a close follower of a district committee member.

“A local committee member even posted remarks criticising my father; he is a close disciple of a district committee member. I have continued in the party here for the past five years despite all this. I did not yield to any inducement,” he said, adding that he was pained to learn that a district-level leader had spoken inappropriately to a comrade from Thottappally who had approached the party secretary.

Stating that he did not wish to create difficulties for the party leadership by continuing under the present circumstances, Sudhakaran said he was voluntarily refraining from renewing his membership during the current scrutiny period. He, however, affirmed that he would continue to stand firmly with lakhs of people in upholding the party’s ideology and ideals.