KOCHI: TNIE speaks to senior CPM leader Brinda Karat, who was recently in Kerala as part of the LDF’s election campaign. Excerpts:
The Sabarimala gold loot and related cases have been a topic of discussion in the state for the past few months. Is the CPM worried about its impact?
The state government has made it clear that the guilty will be punished. The fundamental issues of Kerala are those connected with the welfare and the state’s development. The entire Congress campaign led by Rahul Gandhi is nothing but a diversion from the reality of Kerala’s development.
The UDF has been alleging a CPM-BJP understanding. How do you respond to that?
People have seen that Kerala is an oasis of communal harmony under the LDF. Deals are reflected in policies — like the deal between Rahul Gandhi’s revenue minister in Telangana and the illegal sand mining companies. While talking about a political deal, one can’t make an allegation without evidence and expect people to believe it. The LDF has saved Kerala from the mixing of religion and politics. But, similar to Modi, Rahul brings the issue of Ayyappa believers and non-believers into the election campaign. That’s why I use the phrase ‘Chakkikku otha Sankaran’ about the BJP and the Congress.
BJP is significantly expanding in Kerala...
Wherever the BJP has grown, it is the Congress votes that have switched. The Congress’s lack of an ideology and constant attack on the communists have enabled the BJP to take advantage.
Women’s representation has been a topic of discussion. Yet only a few women are fielded...
The Women’s Reservation Bill was sabotaged by Modi. They linked it to the delimitation and the census.
The CPM has only 12 women candidates...
I am always for having more women candidates. We have some wonderful women leaders who are from the grassroots level. Considering the situation where we have many sitting MLAs, we could at least manage 12 women candidates.
We don’t usually see many rebel candidates from the Left camp. This time, the situation is different…
These are senior leaders. Their assessment is that the LDF is heading for a win, and they want tickets. That is a bourgeois tendency. There is nothing ideological about this.
There is also criticism surrounding the candidature of family members…
This is a misogynistic approach. We encourage family members to be active. [CPM state secretary M V Govindan’s wife] P K Shyamala was active long before she got married. The Congress should be ashamed of running a nasty campaign.