The CPI(M) has branded Aisha Potty as an opportunist for leaving the party. Potty questions what the label would the communist party assign to the likes of Sobhana George, KV Thomas, and P Sarin, who joined the CPI(M) from the Congress.
Published Jan 15, 2026 | 7:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 15, 2026 | 7:00 PM
An advocate by profession and a constant presence on the ground, Potty's entry gives the UDF a formidable face in Kottarakkara
Synopsis: Aisha Potty, a three-time CPI(M), joined the Congress after keeping away from public life after the communist party reportedly sidelined her. She said decision-makers and prominent figures in the CPI(M) disregarded her concerns. While sharing insights into her decision to join the Congress, she said the CPI(M) has changed significantly.
Just months ahead of the high-stakes Assembly election in Kerala, the Congress has pulled off a calculated political move by bringing former CPI(M) leader and three-time MLA P Aisha Potty into its fold.
An advocate by profession and a constant presence on the ground, Potty’s entry gives the UDF a formidable face in Kottarakkara, now represented by Finance Minister KN Balagopal, whom the CPI(M) fielded in 2021 after denying her a ticket.
Her shift was not a sudden break. Back-channel talks had been underway for months, beginning soon after Potty had gradually withdrawn from public life as Balagopal consolidated his hold over the constituency.
In a conversation with South First, Potty now speaks openly for the first time about the internal decay and uncomfortable truths within the CPI(M) that pushed her to the crossroads.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: Aisha is a Muslim name, and you have said earlier that the surname ‘Potty’ (a Brahmin caste name) was given to you by the CPI(M). Did this combination of name and identity help your political journey, especially in Kottarakkara, a constituency with a strong upper caste vote base?
A: Ayisha is a poem written by Vayalar Ramavarma. My father, Vasudevan Potty, a communist and an admirer of the poet, gave me that name, breaking the caste norms of the time. He never wanted a person’s caste to be identified by their name.
My entry into CPI(M)’s electoral politics occurred unexpectedly in 1991. I was then practising as a lawyer along with my husband E Sankaran Potty. Later, I came to be known as Aisha Potty.
The Kottarakkara constituency has a large number of majority voters. However, in my case, I am not sure whether my name or caste identity had helped me. On the contrary, it created more confusion. Many people, especially Hindus, assumed that I have had an inter-caste marriage.
Earlier, those who came to my office when I was actively practising as a lawyer were aware of the story behind my name. But the wider public and voters at that time were somewhat confused.
Q: Has the UDF victory in the local body elections influenced you, especially since they strongly believe they can return to power in 2026?
A: The Congress achieved a notable victory across the state in the local body elections, but in Kottarakkara, it couldn’t perform well, and the LDF retained power in the municipality.
R Balakrishna Pillai
I have learned politics from zero. In my first local election, I won by a narrow margin of just 102 votes after a recount. In the following local polls, I secured a general ward with a majority of over 9,625 votes. Even before contesting Assembly elections, I had witnessed fierce political battles.
In 2006, I defeated R Balakrishna Pillai (of Kerala Congress-B) by 12,087 votes. In 2011, I increased my margin to 20,592 votes, and in 2016, I achieved a landslide victory with 42,632 votes. These results reflect my political journey, and the trust people have placed in me. Beyond party affiliations and flags, my commitment has always been to the people I serve.
Q: This time, you are contesting from Kottarakkara as a UDF candidate? How do you plan to convince voters about this shift?
A: Let me make it clear that there have been no discussions yet about contesting the Assembly elections. The Congress party will take an appropriate decision at the right time.
But I will not leave the Kottarakkara Assembly constituency. This is the land that shaped me and gave me a political identity. I share a deep emotional bond with the people of Kottarakkara, and they understand me better than anyone else.
It was they who stood with me and inspired me to take the decision to join the Congress party. So, I don’t need to explain anything new to them. People understand politics better than we often assume.
Q: Are you aware about the ongoing hate campaign against you from CPI(M) social media handles and leaders, including MA Baby and TM Thomas Isaac, who called you an ‘opportunist’? How do you see their response?
A: Thomas Isaac’s statement that those who join the CPI(M) are on the right track and those who leave are on the wrong track only shows that the party has still not recognised my role. I worked tirelessly for the CPI(M) for decades.
Even in the last Assembly election, I was active on the ground for the party candidate. (Finance Minister KN Balagopal.) Soon after the election results were declared, I began to be sidelined.
My name was deliberately omitted from party programmes. I was not invited to party meetings or consulted in any organisational matters. I chose to remain silent and did not react publicly. Eventually, I withdrew myself from public life. But how long can anyone endure such deliberate avoidance?
I’m curious what label the party will assign to Sobhana George, KV Thomas, and even P Sarin, who joined the CPI(M) from the Congress.
Q: Have you ever raised the issue of getting sidelined with Balagopal?
A: I share a strong bond with Balagopal, and our friendship remains intact.
Aisha Potty and K N Balagopal during 2021 Assembly polls
However, I’m unsure whether the local leaders, including him, are ignoring the issue or staying silent despite knowing everything. In every party, there are a few key faces who make the decisions.
Unfortunately, the decision-makers and prominent figures in the CPI(M) have disregarded my concerns. I must say that the CPI(M) has changed significantly—it is no longer the party I once knew.
Q: You were a three-time MLA who contested elections on the CPI(M) ticket. Then how can you say the party ignored you?
A: An MLA post is not a golden crown. The party can make me a contestant, but the MLA post is not given by the party — it is given by the people. Being an MLA is not a cake walk. We have to work tirelessly.
The CPI(M) gave me repeated chances in Kottarakkara because it was confident about my winnability. That confidence I earned from the ground, by interacting with people, by serving them right. They know I have acceptance among the people.
The party always talk about what it has given. I returned it with big majority wins, continuously, and my majority kept increasing every year. Why didn’t the party value it?
Q: Opposition leader VD Satheesan said that this year there would be significant representation of women and youth in assembly candidature. However, Congress insiders admit that your entry is a setback for Bindu Krishna, former DCC president of Kollam?
A: Congress’s political stance has evolved significantly. They have learned from past mistakes and strengthened their position.
A Congress poster welcoming Aisha Potty
During my tenure as MLA, I always considered people regardless of party affiliation. Last year, I participated in the remembrance of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, at a time when I was not actively involved in the public sphere.
Many leaders, including those from the Congress and BJP, noticed my absence and advised me against staying away from public life. I received numerous invitations to join different political parties and held discussions with them.
Yet, I felt this was the right moment to join the Congress, a party that has learned from its mistakes and reinvented itself.
(Aisha Potty chose not to comment on the local power struggle within the Kollam Congress, particularly regarding Bindu Krishna. Edited by Majnu Babu).
