G Sudhakaran in the dock

ALAPPUZHA: Alappuzha strongman G. Sudhakaran has a lot of explaining to for the fall of the CPM's citadel of Aroor.

The PWD minister handpicked Manu C Pulickal, ignoring the will of party workers who favoured C.B. Chandrababu, an experienced leader from the Ezhava community.

The community makes up 40 per cent of voters in the constituency where 20 per cent are Nairs, and this alienated them to some extent.

Though the candidate selection and campaigning were well ahead of the UDF, many Chandrababu loyalists stayed away letting Shanimol Usman win.

Many of his neighbours in Ezhupunna told DC on the polling day that if the turnout crosses 75 per cent, the UDF would win.

They knew the internal politics of CPM played out on the ground. Only one leader supported Mr Chandrababu when the 11-member district secretariat met for candidate selection.

Mr Chandrababu, who started politics from Aroor, served as district secretary and was the party's candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Though he couldn't win, he brought down the victory margin of K.C. Venugopal substantially, from 57,635 to 19,407 votes.

Party sources say the seat was simply given away due to the dictatorial attitude of Mr Sudhakaran.

"He has to take responsibility for the defeat. This issue will be a matter of debate within the party," one of them said.
Many were upset in the way he handled the campaign as well.

He took Poothana jibe at Ms Usman during the peak of the campaign which she raised throughout her campaign as an insult to womanhood.

Though he earned clean chit from the election commission, his foul mouth upset women voters and party workers. Officials under him also slapped non-bailable charges on her.