ALAPPUZHA: Seventy-six-year-old P K Medini still recollects vividly the memories of the day more than six decades ago. The day when she made her debut as a singer at election campaigns. And her first song was for Communist party leader T V Thomas.
Since then she has been a regular feature at the election campaigns of the Communist party in this part of the state and has been a member of the Communist Party of India since 1951. Her memories of the first song at an election campaign are intertwined with her maiden vote.
She is disillusioned with the youth, who show scant regard for their right to vote.
“They seem to forget the struggle of our veteran leaders who laid down their lives to ensure we have the right to vote,” she said and exhorted everyone to exercise their franchise. She remembers the times when she and the likes of KPAC Sulochana, K S George and Anasooya could influence young voters through songs which told of the untold miseries of the working class and downtrodden.
“The entire political scenario has changed. Religion, caste and money play a major role in elections,” she said.
She hopes the cloud over the LDF will be blown away and she will be able to campaign for the Communist candidates. “I have participated in the election campaign of the LDF till date. But if my party contested separately in the election, I will sing only for my party,” said Medini, who is a district committee member of the CPI.