RSP faces internal backlash over Eravipuram Assembly seat

As the Assembly elections draw near, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) finds itself embroiled in a deepening internal feud over candidacy for its former bastion, Eravipuram. While a section of the party has proposed fielding Karthik Premachandran, son of Kollam MP N.K. Premachandran, the move has ignited sharp resistance from members who decry the rise of ‘dynasty politics’.

The rift with the party became public as cadres began demanding a local candidate, a reaction triggered by rumors that the party might export leaders from the neighbouring Kollam and Chavara constituencies. Even though Karthik Premachandran is a resident of Eravipuram, his potential nomination has failed to appease a significant faction of the party. They argue that bypassing seasoned, long-term grassroots workers in favour of a new face simply due to his lineage sends a demoralising message. For many, it is seen as a slight against the loyal workers who have sustained the party’s foundation through its most difficult and politically lean decade.

Despite lacking a background in formal or campus politics, the 34-year-old Karthik Premachandran has established himself as a sharp behind-the-scenes strategist. He played a pivotal role in his father’s last three Lok Sabha victories, serving as the lead coordinator for campaigns that secured back-to-back landslide margins. Beyond parliamentary elections, he was reportedly part of the core team that engineered the UDF’s success in the Kollam Corporation. Currently an assistant professor at the TKM College of Engineering, Karthik’s strong academic credentials combined with his family’s political legacy make him a highly attractive prospect for the UDF leadership. His perceived winnability has already earned him significant backing from the youth wings of both the Congress and the IUML, who view him as a promising candidate with broad local appeal.

The 2016 shift of the RSP to the UDF camp significantly altered the political landscape of Eravipuram, allowing the LDF to make massive inroads into a traditional RSP bastion that had historically favoured the party with only one exception. Since then, the CPI(M)’s M. Naushad has maintained a dominant grip on the constituency, defeating RSP State Secretary A.A. Aziz by 28,803 votes in 2016 and later securing a second term in 2021 by a margin of 28,121 votes against veteran leader Babu Divakaran.

This upcoming election is a matter of survival for the RSP, which has suffered from zero representation in the State Assembly for the last two terms. After losing all three contested seats in 2021, the party is looking for redemption. While Shibu Baby John and Ullas Kovoor are set to contest again from Chavara and Kunnathur, the focus on Eravipuram remains intense. Energised by the UDF’s recent electoral sweep at the local body elections, the party is mounting an intensive campaign to reclaim its traditional bastions.