MANJESHWAR: This is the fourth time former BJP state president K Surendran is trying his luck in the Manjeshwar assembly constituency, which is considered a stronghold of the party in Kerala.
In 2016, he lost by a margin of just 89 votes, and in 2021, by 855 votes. In an interaction with TNIE, Surendran speaks about the changed political climate in Manjeshwar and the state, which he believes is favourable for the BJP.
Excerpts:
‘Deal with the BJP’ has become a major campaign issue, with the UDF and the LDF accusing each other of having a tacit understanding with your party…
Manjeshwar is a classic example that shows who all have actually struck a deal. Everyone has joined hands against the BJP. The SDPI had earlier fielded a candidate. Everyone — including Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, [P K] Kunhalikutty, V D Satheesan, Jama’at-e-Islami, Samastha, and the Muslim Coordination Committee — pressured the SDPI to withdraw the candidate because they thought such a candidate would divide votes and help the BJP win.
The LDF, UDF, and religious extremists have come together against the BJP. That’s the real deal. This is visible in all the constituencies where the BJP stands a chance to win.
How would you counter this?
We only discuss issues related to development. Manjeshwar is perhaps the most backward constituency in Kerala. There are numerous issues related to housing, health, and drinking water that need to be addressed.
You have raised the issue of Kannada- and Tulu-speaking minorities…
Yes, that is a genuine issue here. They have been completely isolated after Malayalam was made mandatory. They cannot even appear for PSC examinations. There is also a lack of sufficient Kannada teachers.
Why should Muslims vote for a party like the BJP?
Because they know from experience that only the BJP can bring development. This time, minorities will vote for the BJP. We lost the last two times by slender margins. There is a feeling among minorities that what they did last time was a mistake. They also feel the constituency would have developed more if they had voted for the BJP.
But, the BJP is often seen as an anti-Muslim party…
Many Muslim voters have already come forward offering their support. The CPM district committee and secretariat had earlier decided to field Shanavaz Padhoor as the LDF candidate. But the state leadership insisted on another person because they thought Padhoor’s candidature would help the BJP. This shows the party is not keen on increasing its vote base but wants to ensure the BJP’s defeat. This has angered a large section of voters.
There is also resentment over the SDPI drama. All this will have an impact on the election. There was an attempt to replicate the DMK alliance here as well. The Congress, CPM, IUML, and SDPI are part of that alliance in Tamil Nadu. Last time, everyone joined hands to defeat us, but now there is a strong sentiment that the UDF candidate should be defeated.
You said Manjeshwar is a neglected constituency. What can you do if elected?
A lot. For example, the Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana is a multi-crore project, but it was not implemented in Manjeshwar. Not a single application for road development was submitted. In the past five years, the MLA’s main ‘development’ work was installing high-mast lights worth Rs 5 crore. In contrast, a BJP MLA in neighbouring Mangaluru has spent `2,500 crore in the same period.
AIIMS for Kerala is a long-pending demand. Kasaragod lacks proper health infrastructure…
Yes. There is a strong demand to establish AIIMS in Kasaragod, but the Kerala government has identified land elsewhere.
The district is in dire need of a premier health institution, especially due to the endosulfan issue. People here are heavily dependent on Karnataka for healthcare. Let the state government take a decision. Then we will declare our stand.
Do you still stand by your claim that the BJP will rule Kerala if it wins 35 seats?
If we get 35 seats, leaders from the Congress and other parties will come to us. This has happened in other states.
My claim is not unrealistic. We came first in 11 assembly constituencies in the Lok Sabha polls, second in 9, and third in 15. Let us wait for the results.