Ambalapuzha MLA G Sudhakaran on Saturday stepped up his criticism of former legislator H Salam, stating that he had secured jobs for the wives of CPM MLAs, including Salam's.

Sudhakaran made the claims at an event in Ambalapuzha while responding to Salam, who had cast doubt on whether the money collected in Sudhakaran's and the party's name during the 2021 Assembly election had been used by him to acquire land and other assets.

In response, Sudhakaran said he had not collected any such money. "Have I ever asked anyone for even a penny? No one has raised any such complaints," he said.

"I am not interested in engaging with those who are spreading these allegations," he said without naming Salam, but did not stop short of returning the rebuke. "When this person's wife did not have a job, I was the one who secured her employment," he added.

He then said that he had not extended such favours even to members of his own family, while he had done so for the wives of CPM leaders Salam and P P Chitharanjan.

The claim comes amid a heated exchange between the duo that has taken shape since Sudhakaran, a veteran CPM leader, left the party to contest as a UDF-backed independent in 2026 assembly elections and defeated Salam, whom the party had fielded. Since then, Sudhakaran has had a strained relationship with CPM workers.

Recently, Salam took to social media to launch a scathing attack on Sudhakaran, who had earlier said the CPM had been reduced to little more than fund collections and rallies. This prompted Salam to challenge Sudhakaran, who he claimed had a record of collecting large sums without proper accounts, to disclose details of the funds collected during the 2021 Assembly election.

He asked whether Sudhakaran was prepared to reveal details of his family's assets and his son's NRI bank accounts.

Salam also questioned whether the money had been used to buy land and other properties, including in Paravur, in the names of Sudhakaran's wife and son.