3 min readAmbalapuzhaApr 6, 2026 07:28 AM IST First published on: Apr 6, 2026 at 07:28 AM ISTThis is one election CPI(M) can’t lose. The party’s very face in its historic stronghold is taking on the party. G Sudhakaran, a Marxist politician all through his public life, quit in time to contest as an Independent supported by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Given the traumatic shift, one expected a high visibility campaign.But, barely a week to go for polling on a bright sunny forenoon, the temple town seems to be slipping into siesta. No sign of anything spectacular at the Paravur High School Junction where Sudhakaran’s motorcade is supposed to stop and address voters. The only political activity in view is a couple of volunteers preparing to burst crackers to herald the candidate’s arrival. Soon a lone voter stops by and he is not even sure whether he should stay and hear the candidate or move on.AdvertisementA known CPI loyalist, this middle-aged local doesn’t want to get noticed at the Left betrayer’s show. “Supposing old comrade waves at me. I’ll have to wave back,” he says. Right across the road is a CCTV camera installed by the district police. Soon an open red jeep drives up followed by carloads of Congress workers but doesn’t stop. The vehicle rally disappears into a maze of short narrow lanes. You need a drone to track Sudhakaran’s caravan and the footage from it may look like a basic video game of speeding vehicles stopping at random points.The randomness is to be expected. Migration to a new political ecosystem, a daring plunge into a hectic poll and most of all the summer sun, multiple factors don’t favour the candidate touching 80. You can easily miss him in the speeding red jeep. Draped in layers of khadi shawls, sitting crouched beside the driver, he is barely recognisable under a large sun hat. A helpful Congress worker in the backseat removes these shawls from time to time so that Sudhakaran can hold a mike and speak into it.When he speaks, the voice has the unmistakable political ring. Extra polite and mildly sarcastic, he asks good friend CM Pinarayi Vijayan to fight and win his big chair and let him win his small seat. He waxes eloquent on the newfound virtues of the national secular Congress which alone in these globally trying times can save the country. He concludes with a stern warning to his old Marxist friends not to try any tricks.AdvertisementThe Left’s bag of tricks, if there is one, is securely tucked away in some safe corner of CPI(M)’s area committee office. Party candidate and sitting MLA H Salam should surely know where but he chooses to talk instead about his seasoned rival’s devices. “I have worked with him through several elections, and I can anticipate his moves,” he says. Salam goes on to link Sudhakaran’s fortunes to the choice of the BJP candidate. “By fielding Arun Anirudhan, their votes split between Arun’s community and the rest, a bulk of which will go to Sudhakaran.”