The bitter political slugfest in Ambalappuzha, Keralam, has entered a fresh round, with CPI(M) Alappuzha district secretariat member H. Salam launching a sharp attack on G. Sudhakaran, MLA, accusing him of financial irregularities and challenging him to come clean on his assets.

Mr. Salam, who contested against Mr. Sudhakaran in the 2026 Assembly elections, questioned the MLA over the lakhs of rupees allegedly collected in the latter’s and the party’s name during the 2021 Assembly election. In a social media post on Tuesday (September 8, 2026), Mr. Salam also challenged the veteran legislator to disclose details of the collections and explain how the money was spent.

Mr. Salam questioned whether the funds were used to acquire land and other assets, including in Paravur, in the names of Mr. Sudhakaran’s wife and son.

Taking aim at the MLA’s image as an anti-corruption crusader, Mr. Salam asked whether Mr. Sudhakaran was prepared to disclose the assets held by his family and details of his son’s NRI accounts.

The CPI(M) leader also challenged Mr. Sudhakaran to clarify whether he had earlier asked DYFI leaders to engage in criminal activities. “A person who betrayed the party and walked out has no business claiming to reform the CPI(M),” he said.

War of words

The latest salvo comes amid an increasingly bitter and personal war of words between Mr. Sudhakaran and CPI(M) leaders in Alappuzha.

“I had decided not to respond to every objectionable remark made by Sudhakaran. But he is now targeting and defaming those who work tirelessly for the party and those who worked for the LDF in Ambalappuzha as directed by the party,” wrote Mr. Salam.

He accused Mr. Sudhakaran of repeatedly making personal attacks against women leaders who had served as elected representatives, as well as leaders including Saji Cherian, C.S. Sujatha and C.B. Chandrababu.

Mr. Salam also hit back at Mr. Sudhakaran’s criticism of party fund collections. “Communist party fund collections are now a matter of contempt for Sudhakaran. But when lakhs of rupees were collected during the election without proper accounts being maintained, did he have the same contempt for such collections?” he asked.

The feud dates back to Mr. Sudhakaran’s decision to end his more than six-decade association with the CPI(M) and contest in Ambalappuzha as an Independent in the 2026 polls. He went on to pull off an unlikely victory, defeating the CPI(M)-backed candidate.

The political battle has only intensified since. At the inauguration of his MLA office in June this year, Mr. Sudhakaran launched a blistering attack on the CPI(M) and its leadership, particularly former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whom he likened to a “drenched chicken” in the Assembly.

Senior legislator G. Sudhakaran was officially sworn in as the Pro Tem Speaker of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (May 20, 2026).

The oath of office was administered by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar during a solemn ceremony held at the Kerala Lok Bhavan. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, members of the newly formed United Democratic Front (UDF) Cabinet and several high-ranking government officials attended the event.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administers the oath of office to G. Sudhakaran
| Video Credit:
special arrangement

The appointment of Mr. Sudhakaran, who successfully contested and won from the Ambalappuzha constituency with UDF backing after a high-profile rebellion against his former party, CPI(M), adheres to the established parliamentary convention of designating the senior-most member of the House to the temporary post.

As the Pro Tem Speaker, his primary constitutional responsibility will be to oversee the transition of the House into its formal legislative cycle after the Assembly polls.

First session on Thursday

With his swearing-in, the focus shifts to the Legislative floor where a busy schedule has been laid out. The Pro Tem Speaker will preside over the Assembly’s first official session on Thursday to administer the oath of office to all the MLA-designates.

Following the swearing-in of the legislators, the House will convene again on Friday (May 22) to conduct the formal election for the permanent Speaker. Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has been designated as the UDF’s nominee for the Speaker’s chair. He will succeed outgoing Speaker A.N. Shamseer. Shanimol Usman, who was elected from Aroor constituency, is slated to take over as the Deputy Speaker.

Governor’s policy address

The Governor will deliver his customary policy address in the Assembly on May 29 to mark the official commencement of the new legislative session under the V.D. Satheesan-led government.

Mr. Sudhakaran’s assignment to the prestigious role adds a symbolic layer to the opening of the 16th Assembly, considering the dramatic political backdrop of his election. A lifelong communist who had been associated with the CPI(M) since his youth, the five-time MLA severed ties with the party a few months ago after intense friction with its State and Alappuzha district leadership. He subsequently launched an independent campaign in his home turf of Ambalappuzha, where he accused the CPI(M) of “ideological drift” and the rise of “political criminalisation.”

In a major tactical move that altered the electoral dynamics, the UDF chose not to field a candidate of its own and instead threw its machinery behind Mr. Sudhakaran. The strategy yielded a historic mandate, with the veteran leader delivering a crushing blow to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) by defeating the sitting CPI(M) MLA, H. Salam, by a staggering margin of 27,935 votes.