Palakkad: A Suresh, former personal assistant to the late V S Achuthanandan, on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist), alleging that the party has drifted away from its Left ideals and now retains only the "name of communism."

Speaking to the media in Palakkad, Suresh said he would soon take membership in the Congress party and begin campaigning in Malampuzha. "The leadership of the UDF (United Democratic Front) has asked me to start campaigning soon," he said.

Suresh said that he expects to contest in the Congress symbol. He will take on the sitting MLA, A Prabhakaran of the CPM. Malampuzha was represented by V S Achuthanandan from 2001 to 2021, when he won the seat for four consecutive terms.

Suresh was expelled from the CPM in May 2013 for allegedly leaking internal party information. Although he later submitted a request to the party leadership seeking readmission, no favourable decision was taken, despite his close association with Achuthanandan.

He also criticised the party leadership for repeatedly ignoring his appeals. Referring to remarks by CPM state secretary M V Govindan during the LDF's Vikasana Munnetta Jatha, Suresh said Govindan had stated that he would not be taken back into the party "even if he appealed a thousand times." Suresh said the comment deeply hurt him and prompted him to reconsider his association with the party.

Accusing the CPM of losing its ideological character, he said the party was now divided into two groups- those who love power and those who love the party. "Unfortunately, those who love power are now controlling the party," he alleged.

Defending his decision to join the Congress, Suresh said the party was better positioned to fight communalism in the country. "For me, working with the Congress is more convenient. It is the Congress, not the CPM, that is taking the fight against communal forces in the country," he said.