Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi, March 19 Congress MP and party strongman K Sudhakaran said on Thursday that he will not contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala without the party's backing.
Sudhakaran also ended speculation about him leaving the Congress to form another party or join some other political front, saying "where will I go?"
"The party has not asked me to leave. It only denied me a seat. I will stay and work for the party. I am no one to challenge it as the party is so much bigger and I am so small," he said.
"I will accept the party's decision," the MP from Kannur told reporters as he left his accommodation in New Delhi for the airport to return to Kerala.
Sudhakaran was responding to reporters' queries as to what was his stand. Would he continue in the party, would he contest as an independent candidate, and would he challenge the Congress' decision not to give him a seat?
"Where will I go, if not to Congress? My stand is that I will continue in the party and work for it. I will move forward with the party work in new fields," he said.
On being asked whether he would deploy his supporters in other constituencies as candidates, Sudhakaran said that he has people everywhere, but they are there to do public work for the party and "not to form committees or create leaders".
When reporters asked whether he was accepting the Congress decision, he responded that he would obediently follow what the party says and would move forward accordingly.
On reaching the airport, he reiterated what he told reporters earlier.
Sudhakaran said that he would "remain a Congressman" and would take up the party work.
When asked whether his stance would change once the remaining list of 40 candidates are announced, the Kannur strongman replied in the negative.
When reporters asked him what he had to say to his supporters in Kerala and whether he has any hope, Sudhakaran said that he wants his well-wishers to work for the Congress and its candidates and to make the party stronger.
"Why should we not have hope? We will come to power in Kerala," he said.
His remarks come amidst reports of his discontent with the party over not being considered as a candidate for the Kannur constituency in the Assembly polls in Kerala on April 9.