Sudhakaran’s claim for Knr seat leaves Cong perplexed

Kochi: Confusion over the candidacy of former KPCC president K Sudhakaran in Kannur assembly seat has become a major headache for Congress.Sources said Sudhakaran strongly desires to contest and is pitching for the seat, claiming that local workers are firmly behind him. He expects the party to decide in his favour. Reports suggest that high command is planning to meet Sudhakaran in New Delhi but he is hesitant. Sudhakaran suddenly returned home while discussions on candidate selection were ongoing and posted an emotional message on Facebook, prompting local district leaders to visit his residence in a show of support."Every leader in Kannur today is someone who grew up and worked by holding my hand. There is no Kannur that I do not know and no Kannur that does not know me. Others might be able to forget the paths we traversed, but for me, those are raw realities that I cannot forget even in death," Sudhakaran wrote in the post. If Sudhakaran is allowed to contest, that would trigger more MPs to to seek assembly seats. The party fears that even if an exception is made for him, it would eventually force an unnecessary byelection in the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency. Another option before the central leadership is allowing Sudhakaran to hand-pick the candidate for Kannur.The party acknowledges Sudhakaran's significant influence in Kannur and the decisions including the appointment of Sunny Joseph as KPCC chief were taken with his blessing. Ramachandran Kadannappally, the incumbent MLA since 2016, is almost certain to be the LDF candidate and Congress believes that they could wrest the seat this time.Opposition leader V D Satheesan said there were no issues related to candidate selection in Congress and refuted reports of differences with Sudhakaran.He told reporters in Kochi that Congress would announce its candidates within 24 hours after the election is declared or after the LDF announces its candidates.Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said that some party MPs from Kerala have expressed an interest to contest the assembly elections. He said he cannot term someone's wish to contest as "a huge wrong" but added that the final decision would be that of the high command.