Doesn’t your move to withdraw from contesting a day after BJP named you for the Mananthavady seat mean your community (Paniya) will miss out on having a representative in polls again?
A: I don’t think so. For me, ideology is important. This is why I rejected the candidature.
Isn’t BJP the only party to offer a seat to the community?
A: My move doesn’t aim at blaming or insulting the BJP. I admit this is the first time in Kerala that a mainstream party thought of selecting a candidate from the most backward tribal group. It is an appreciable move, but I can’t accept due to my ideological differences with BJP.
What are the ideological differences?
A: I am a proud Dalit, while BJP is anti-Dalit. That is why I oppose them. I follow Ambedkar’s ideologies which are totally against BJP’s policies.
Your decision created a stir. Did you talk to the BJP leadership about your decision?
A: They (BJP leadership) did make some mistakes before announcing my name. Until the news came on channels, I was unaware about my candidature. None from BJP contacted me or asked whether I wanted to contest. They did it without my consent. That is not a good practice.
C K Janu, another prominent tribal leader, rejoined NDA. Your take?
A: Janu’s cases is different from mine. She joined NDA with her party. In my case, BJP wanted me to represent the party as an individual. I am not ready for such a trial.