With senior Congress leader and Haripad MLA Ramesh Chennithala by his side, CPM whistleblower-turned-UDF-backed MLA V Kunhikrishnan on Saturday described himself as an “untainted communist.” Kunhikrishnan, who arrived in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the UDF government’s swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Monday, briefly interacted with the media while cabinet discussions were underway.

Chennithala described Kunhikrishnan as the “first non-communist candidate” to win from Payyannur in the last 50 years. However, Kunhikrishnan smilingly corrected the description when he addressed the media. “With all respect, I would like to make a small correction,” he said. “It is not that a non-communist candidate won. I was a candidate who was not from a Communist party.”

He then asserted: “I am a communist, an untainted communist. So my victory should be seen as the first time a candidate outside a Communist party has won from the constituency.” Chennithala was seen smiling and nodding in agreement as Kunhikrishnan clarified his position.

Kunhikrishnan said he had come to Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the swearing-in ceremony to meet UDF leaders who supported his candidature. “I contested and won the election with the support of the UDF. So I came here to meet the alliance leaders before the swearing-in,” he said.

He also claimed to have received significant support from both traditional CPM voters and neutral voters in the constituency. “I received votes from CPM supporters as well as impartial voters. My victory was the result of all these sections coming together,” he said.

Kunhikrishnan further expressed his desire to continue as an independent MLA despite being backed by the UDF. “I contested as an independent candidate and would like to continue with that independent position,” he added.

Meanwhile, Chennithala recalled the difficulties allegedly faced by Kunhikrishnan and his supporters after his fallout with the CPM. “We saw houses of his supporters being attacked. Even walls carrying graffiti in his support were destroyed. Despite all these threats and pressures, he overcame them,” Chennithala said.

He added that the UDF was happy to have secured support from Payyannur, a constituency long considered a CPM stronghold.

Kunhikrishnan defeated sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan in Payyannur by a margin of 7,487 votes. He had contested as a UDF-backed independent following a fallout with the CPM after publicly questioning the financial integrity of the party’s local leadership.