ALAPPUZHA: The Congress has a dozen leaders in Kerala capable of leading the state, and that is the strength of the party, unlike the ruling LDF, which has only one chief ministerial face--Pinarayi Vijayan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has said.
In an interview with PTI videos, while not denying that he is an aspirant for the top post, Chennithala said that the Congress's first priority is to win the crucial polls, and that the party leadership will decide who should be the next Chief Minister.
"We are not projecting anybody as Chief Minister," the Congress Working Committee member said, when asked why Congress is fighting polls without a CM face.
He said the party's state leadership had discussed everything during a recent meeting with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.
"The Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) and Rahul Gandhi categorically said that the priority is to win the election, and that the chief ministership will be decided later," said Chennithala while campaigning in his constituency, Haripad, in this coastal district.
Asked whether he aspired to be the chief ministerial face in the election, he said, "It is not a question of aspirants. We have a dozen leaders who are capable of leading the state. That is the strength of the Congress party here, unlike the Communist Party."
He said the CPI(M) has only one face--Pinarayi Vijayan--whereas the Congress has a dozen leaders who are capable of becoming Chief Minister.
"So finally, our party leadership will take a call, and we will all accept it," he said.
Reacting to a query on whether AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, would support him as the UDF's chief ministerial face, the Congress leader said, "We are not discussing that point at all, because our high command has already taken a decision."
"This issue is not being talked about or discussed by any of us," Chennithala said.
According to him, the party is focusing on the anti-incumbency against the LDF government, and the five guarantees announced by Rahul Gandhi recently will help the Congress win the people's trust.
"The guarantees announced by our leader Rahul Gandhi will work in Kerala, as we have studied them thoroughly, including their economic impact, and will be able to implement them when our government comes to power," he said.
Asked whether the loss-making KSRTC and the free bus travel guarantee for women could become a burden, Chennithala said, "Of course, you are correct. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation is in debt. We will improve the situation, and the government will also provide a subsidy to KSRTC so that this can be implemented properly."
He said that the party had certain measures for revenue generation, not by placing a burden on the people but by helping them.
He added that various measures would be introduced and, for example, extravagance would be curbed.
The former state Home Minister further said that many unreasonable measures by the state government would have to be stopped.
"Revenue generation will be the most important point for us. As the state itself is in a big debt trap, Rs 6.5 lakh crore is our public debt over the last 10 years--we have to improve the economic situation. We have to turn around the administration, and we will be able to implement the guarantees properly," Chennithala said.
The senior leader also alleged an "unholy deal" between the BJP and LDF in the polls.
"This is not a new thing. In the last election also, in 2021, they were in an underhand deal with the BJP. They want Congress-free Bharath. They do not want a Congress government anywhere in the country. So both their agendas are similar, as the Communist also do not want Congress to win," he said.
Chennithala, who led the UDF in the 2021 elections, said, last time in 69 constituencies, around four per cent of the BJP vote shifted to the CPI(M).
"We got 40 per cent, and they got 44. That time, their (the BJP) vote share was 14 per cent, but it dipped to 10 per cent. They had an unholy alliance. But this time, people will understand that this unholy alliance with the BJP and CPI(M) will not work," the Congress leader said.
He claimed that the BJP would not open its account in the Assembly polls.
"Parliamentary elections are different from Assembly elections. They are not emerging anywhere. In Alappuzha too, they are not emerging. They will not make any headway here.
"In the state of Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party will not open its account. The BJP cannot win any seats in Kerala. I am very clear about it. Even last time, they got no seats in the Assembly," Chennithala said.
He also accused the BJP of trying to "divide society on communal lines".
"The amount of money they are spending is astonishing. Even during campaigning, they are spending huge sums. Let them do it. But the people of Kerala are wise enough to understand all this," the senior MLA said.
Asked whether the Congress's Hindu votes were intact, he said, "We have all sections of society--Hindus, Christians and Muslims. All communities are with us. We believe our support base remains intact. There will not be many problems for us."