A high-voltage electoral battle is on the cards in the Vadakara Lok Sabha seat after the UDF dropped a surprise by going in for Vattiyoorkavu MLA and former PCC chief K Muraleedharan as its candidate to take on CPM strongman P Jayarajan fielded by the LDF. However, a new political dimension has been added to the prevailing equations in the constituency - a traditional Left pocket borough - with the Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), a decisive factor in the seat, offering unconditional support to the UDF.
K K Rema, RMPI leader and wife of slain party founder T P Chandrasekharan, opens up to
Express reporter Ajith Kannan on the party’s decision to back the UDF in Vadakara and RMPI’s poll strategy.
Q: RMPI made a U-turn on its earlier decision to field candidates in Vadakara and three other constituencies and unexpectedly offered unconditional support to Congress. What prompted this?
A: Since the formation of the party, we’ve been contesting general elections. This time also we’d decided to field candidates in four seats. When CPM announced P Jayarajan as candidate for Vadakara seat, RMPI realised this election will be a do-or-die battle.
The reason? We fear more RMPI workers may be killed like T P Chandrasekharan if Jayarajan, the mastermind of violent politics, wins the seat. We believe Jayarajan will be working to obliterate RMPI. We want to ensure our workers remain alive. We are ready to go to any extent to save our party workers. That’s why we offered support to Congress to defeat Jayarajan despite dissent over the policy and ideology of the party.
Q: CPM has often alleged RMPI is the ‘B-team’ of UDF. Have you lent credibility to the Marxists’ claim by opting to support UDF?
A: CPM’s attempt to dent RMPI’s image is due to their fear of being defeated. Our party was never a part of the UDF due to differences over its policy and ideology. RMPI will never compromise with the Congress or the UDF. The support for the Congress candidate is just an election strategy to defeat the common enemy. It does not mean RMPI will continue to offer support to UDF’s policies or activities.
Q: Both RMPI and UDF are getting ready to raise violence in politics as the poll plank against CPM. Are you ready to give a clean chit to Congress when it comes to political violence?
A: Indeed not. They (Congress) too resort to political violence. We never face a threat from them. RMPI workers should have the freedom to live and work. Our lives are always under threat from CPM.
Q: What is the poll strategy of RMPI in other constituencies? Has the party decided to support UDF there as well?
A: The party is yet to take a final call on the candidature in other constituencies and respective mandalam committees have been asked to take appropriate decision on this matter. We’ve decided to work against BJP’s fascist policy and CPM’s brand of violent politics.
Q: Indirectly, does this mean backing the UDF?
A: We’re calling people to rally against the anti-people policies of BJP-NDA Government at the Centre and CPM-headed LDF Government in the state. The UDF may derive political benefit out of this. This should not be interpreted as RMPI’s direct support to any front.
Q: What about the alleged Congress-IUML-BJP tie-up in Vadakara?
A: I hardly believe reports of such an unholy alliance being forged in the constituency mainly because the BJP is attempting to consolidate Hindu votes by polarising the community. And, hence they couldn’t be on the same page as the IUML. I think the CPM charge is prompted by the prospect of an electoral rout.
Q: Now, which of the two - BJP or CPM - is RMPI’s main political adversary?
A: For RMPI, both BJP and CPM are our political opponents. The BJP’s fascist policy should be opposed at any cost to save the country. For ensuring the safety of our cadre, we need to rein in the CPM.
Q: Though RMPI showed pluck by backing the Congress candidate in Vadakara, the latter took a lot of time before zeroing in on Muraleedharan. Is this going to adversely impact the outcome?
A: There was a delay in finalising the candidate which deeply annoyed the cadre. This could have been avoided if the Congress brass had done their homework. We are pretty upbeat on K Muraleedharan securing a victory from Vadakara.
Q: Speculation was rife on K K Rema contesting in Vadakara with UDF support. In terms of winnability, was it a feasible idea?
A: Firstly, no official discussion was held on such proposal. If the UDF had put forward such an offer, our party would indeed have taken the call. None can discount the winnability since both the RMPI and the UDF have substantial votes in the segment.
Q: Is RMPI ready to work together with the UDF in future if they (UDF) offer any reward in lieu for the support?
A: RMPI offered its unconditional support and we don’t want any reward from the front. If we indeed desired so, it would have been easy for the RMPI to win from the Vadakara Assembly constituency in the 2016 elections by having a political truck with them. For us, policy and ideology are important.