Thrissur, 31 Jan (H.S.):Stating that contesting elections cannot be the sole purpose of a political life, senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan on Friday sought to play down speculation over whether he would enter the fray in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. Making it clear that he is in no hurry to take a decision, Muraleedharan said he was “not jumping into the pit this time” and that the final call should be left to the party leadership.

Responding to questions from reporters, Muraleedharan said it was not necessary to contest every election and that the party should decide whether he should be a candidate or not. His remarks come at a time when posters seeking his candidature have appeared across several parts of the State, triggering fresh political chatter within Congress circles.

Referring to the widespread poster campaign, Muraleedharan said his name had surfaced in posters in almost all constituencies. The posters are seen even in Chadayamangalam, where the Congress has won only once so far. They have appeared across the State except in Payyannur and Kalliasseri. He added, with a touch of irony, that he did not know whether the posters reflected affection or a deliberate attempt at restraint.

One of the prominent poster campaigns has urged the Congress to field Muraleedharan from Kayamkulam. Posters put up in the name of a group calling itself the ‘Congress Collective’ describe him as the secular face of Kerala and claim that his victory from the constituency is certain. Kayamkulam has largely remained a CPI(M) stronghold since 2006, with the Left winning successive elections. In the previous Assembly polls, Youth Congress leader Aritha Babu was the Congress candidate from the seat.

Similar posters were spotted earlier this week in Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district. The posters welcomed Muraleedharan to the hilly region and said Thiruvambady needed a guardian of secularism to reclaim the constituency for the Congress.

Despite the visible enthusiasm among sections of party workers, Muraleedharan has consistently refrained from making any commitment. By reiterating that electoral contests are not the be-all and end-all of public life, the senior leader has indicated that he would abide by the collective decision of the Indian National Congress, even as speculation over his role in the forthcoming Assembly elections continues to gather momentum.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman