K Sudhakaran Hardens Stand on Seats, Deepening Congress Rift Before Assembly Polls

Thriruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader K Sudhakaran has reportedly adopted a firm stance amid growing dissatisfaction with the party high command over seat allocation, choosing to boycott public programs and remain at home in protest.

Sources within the Indian National Congress said Sudhakaran has made it clear that he is not willing to engage in reconciliation talks for the moment. Despite several attempts by party leaders to persuade him, he is said to be unwilling to soften his position. He has also decided to refrain from making public statements until a scheduled discussion with Rahul Gandhi on Monday.

Sudhakaran has been insisting that he must be allotted a seat and had been lobbying for it from the outset. His frustration reportedly stems from the party leadership’s reluctance to concede to his demand.

At the same time, Sudhakaran is believed to be mobilising supporters and loyal leaders to exert pressure on Congress high command. Rather than yielding to conciliatory efforts, he appears to be relying on pressure tactics to secure the seat. Multiple attempts by senior leaders to bring about a compromise have so far failed.

The dispute has also triggered public remarks from other Congress leaders in Kerala. After Sudhakaran posted a message on Facebook expressing disappointment over not being given a seat, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan mocked the post, saying Sudhakaran himself might not even know what Facebook is. Meanwhile, Hibi Eden commented that there was no need for sitting Members of Parliament to contest in the upcoming state assembly elections under the current circumstances.

The internal disagreement has added to the ongoing political tension within the Congress as discussions on candidate selection continue.