'Those who got less votes than me have won': Malayalam actor Ramesh Pisharody lashes out at 'AMMA'

Kochi: The office-bearers of 'AMMA' (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists), have been embroiled in a dispute over recent elections as actor Ramesh Pisharody, in a letter addressed to all members, has openly criticised the selection of three women members to the Executive Committee, calling it undemocratic.

"In a democratic election, the candidate with the most votes should rightfully win, as it reflects the people's choice. However, exchanging positions to favour candidates with fewer votes is equal to cancelling the will of the people who voted," the letter stated.

"The media coverage of my 'failure' could have been avoided. And that too when those with significantly less votes than me are declared winners. It was the responsibility of the office-bearers to clarify these matters after the election," he added.

Pisharody stated that the simplest way to implement reservation is by setting aside four seats for women without pitting them against men. It can be argued that these issues were addressed in the byelaws earlier, but they should now be reconsidered to uphold the true spirit of democracy. He also called for amendments to ensure proper implementation of women's reservation in the byelaws.