Thu May 15 15:40:37 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

This news article reports on a retraction made by G. Sudhakaran, a former minister and CPI(M) leader in Kerala, India. Sudhakaran initially claimed that postal ballots were tampered with to favor the CPI(M) candidate in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in Alappuzha. He later retracted this statement, saying he spoke “with a bit of imagination” and that no such tampering occurred. The Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala ordered an investigation into the initial claim, and the Alappuzha police are considering registering a case based on legal advice. The CPI(M) district secretary denied the allegation.

**News Article:**

**Kerala: Former Minister Retracts Ballot Tampering Claim, Investigation Launched**

**Alappuzha, May 15, 2025:** A political storm erupted in Kerala after former Minister and senior CPI(M) leader G. Sudhakaran retracted a shocking claim he made just a day earlier: that postal ballots were manipulated in favor of the CPI(M) candidate during the 1989 Lok Sabha elections in the Alappuzha constituency.

Speaking at a public meeting Thursday evening, Sudhakaran recanted his earlier statement. “The other day, I spoke with a bit of imagination,” he stated. “I have never engaged in or facilitated bogus voting. Postal ballots were not tampered with. I was only giving a warning to union members who did not vote. I have conveyed this to the election officials who came to record my statement.”

His initial statement, made during an NGO Union gathering, had alleged that ballots from service organizations were collected, verified, and altered to favor the CPI(M) candidate Devadas, who ultimately lost to Vakkom Purushothaman of the Congress party.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala, Rathan U. Kelkar, has ordered a full investigation into the initial allegation. The Alappuzha police are also seeking legal counsel to determine whether to register a case, given the incident’s age.

“Since the incident in question occurred several years ago, we have sought legal opinion and further action will be taken based on it,” a police official said.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) district secretary R. Nazar has denied the allegation of postal ballot tampering, stating he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding Sudhakaran’s initial statement. The controversy has raised questions about the integrity of past elections and could have significant political ramifications.

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