Alappuzha: Former minister and senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran has once again come out with a veiled attack against the party leadership, alleging that former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had been subjected to unjustifiable attacks in the name of a woman.

While speaking at the Oommen Chandy commemoration programme in Alappuzha on Saturday, Sudhakaran said, "It is acceptable to launch political criticism, but unleashing slander based on unverified facts cannot be tolerated.

“Oommen Chandy had to suffer a lot of humiliation in the name of a woman. But I had not uttered a word in connection with that incident against him,” Sudhakaran added.

During the programme organised by the Oommen Chandy Foundation, Sudhakaran said that he and other leaders had not compromised in their political criticisms of Oommen Chandy. “But I had not said a word against him in connection with the woman, as I was not convinced of the allegations raised against him,” he clarified.

“This was not a political attack. It was purely personal, not an attack against Congress. I don’t want to blame those who attacked OC. It was their choice. But I had not attacked him. And I would not do it in the future, either. There is no need for it. There are many other pertinent issues to criticize. Those who indulge in spreading unnecessary issues would only harm the organisation,” Sudhakaran asserted.

“People seem to forget the fact that respect for the opposition is of utmost importance in democracy. Loyalty towards one’s own party should not be proven by attacking another person without evidence. When such things flourish, even grass would not sprout there. The place would be ruined,” he warned.

For some time now, Sudhakaran's disenchantment towards the leadership of the CPM has been causing embarrassment for the party. A couple of weeks ago, CPM state secretary MV Govindan said that the weeds in Alappuzha would be pulled out to purge the party of factionalism. Sudhakaran’s public endorsement of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s innocence regarding the issue involving a ‘woman’ is likely to further embarrass the party, as admitting his innocence would mean denouncing the party’s earlier stance on this controversy.