Sudhakaran-Pinarayi spat escalates

KPCC chief terms Chief Minister fountainhead of political violence in Kannur

The spat between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K.Sudhakaran escalated on Saturday with the latter accusing his arch-rival of being the fountainhead of political violence in Kannur. At a press conference characterised by combative language and stormy rhetoric, Mr. Sudhakaran said Mr. Vijayan had orchestrated the murder of scores of political opponents in the State. The Congress lost 28 workers to Communist Party of India (Marxist) violence in Kannur. The Congress had resisted the violence but its Gandhian ethos prevented the party from retaliating in kind. Mr. Sudhakaran said he was the prime victim of CPI(M) violence in Kannur. “They ambushed my car thrice. I never take the same route. Congress workers guarded my house. I travel in a cavalcade for protection. The CPI(M) foisted false cases on me, including two murders. The court threw both out,” he said.