K.V. Devadas refutes G. Sudhakaran’s remark on postal ballot-tampering during 1989 elections

Controversy over alleged postal ballot tampering in 1989 Lok Sabha elections involving CPI(M) leader G. Sudhakaran and K.V. Devadas.

Amid the controversy over former Minister and senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader G. Sudhakaran’s statement that postal ballots were tampered with in favour of CPI(M) candidate K.V. Devadas in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in Alappuzha, Mr. Devadas has denied the allegation, stating that no such tampering took place.

Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Devadas said he had never come across any such incident either during the 1989 elections or at any time thereafter. “I completely disagree with Sudhakaran’s remark about postal ballot-tampering. He said postal ballot covers were torn and then tampered with. In the past 36 years, I have never heard anyone say that such a thing happened. No such incident ever took place,” Mr. Devadas said.

Mr. Sudhakaran made the remarks on May 14. “In 1989, when Devadas contested as the CPI(M) candidate, postal ballots belonging to members of service organisations were collected and brought to the CPI(M) district committee office. I was the election committee secretary at the time. Around 15% of the voters had cast their ballots for the opposing candidate. We verified those ballots and altered them,” Mr. Sudhakaran said, adding, “Do not think that if you seal the postal ballot and hand it over, no one will know your decision.”

He also said even if the Election Commission was to initiate a case over the matter, it would not be a problem.

Mr. Devadas said tampering with ballot papers goes against the CPI(M)‘s policies and principles. “It is undemocratic. Sudhakaran also said several members of the NGO Union didn’t vote for me. That, too, is incorrect. I contested the election while serving as the general secretary of the Kerala Government Teachers Association and also holding responsibilities in other organisations. I believe everyone voted for me. Statements like the one made by Sudhakaran will only serve to alienate people who are sympathetic to the party,” he said, who is set to celebrate his 90th birthday on May 25.

The veteran communist, however, said that Mr. Sudhakaran had worked sincerely during the 1989 election. “I do not believe he would ever instigate or himself engage in any unlawful act. I am not sure what context he made such a statement. He has already retracted what he said, and that is a good thing,” Mr. Devadas added.

In the 1989 polls, Vakkom Purushothaman of the Congress party defeated Devadas by a margin of over 25,000 votes. Mr. Devadas contested the polls after taking voluntary retirement from the teaching profession.