THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Lok Sabha poll verdict will decide whether the Left government should continue in Kerala or not, opined CPM veteran S Ramachandran Pillai. In a chat with TNIE on Friday, the 86-year-old also walked down memory lane on his lone electoral battle against Kerala Congress veteran R Balakrishna Pillai from Mavelikkara LS constituency in 1971.
What are the key issues that the LDF is raising?
Going by current developments, the future of democracy in India is in danger. The BJP has been taking an authoritarian approach, and using government agencies like ED, CBI and Income Tax for political propaganda. The move towards ‘One Nation, One Election’ is aimed at rejecting political changes in assemblies from time to time.
BJP’s defeat is essential to protect secular values. That’s where the campaign against CAA is important. Then there is the government support to corporates. And finally, there is the state government. The LDF government undertook several welfare initiatives. This election will decide whether to continue with the measures.
Generally, there’s a pro-UDF trend during LS elections in Kerala. How do you plan to counter it?
The results of this election will decide whether the LDF government should continue in Kerala or not. If NDA comes to power, they won’t allow it to continue smoothly. Look at their approach towards non-BJP governments. In Congress’ case too, the entire UDF system is against LDF. That’s why we say the continuation of the LDF government is possible only if the LDF wins in Kerala.
So this election could be a referendum on LDF regime?
We cannot say that, as four major issues, all of them significant, are being discussed. It will be an assessment on whether the state government should continue or not.
There’s strong anti-incumbency sentiment following the financial crisis and ED probe into Karuvannur?
We will explain to people the anti-Kerala approach of the Union government. Even SC has acknowledged it as a major issue. Agencies like ED and I-T department are being used to put the Left government and CPM under a shadow. They are acting as political propagandists.
The CPM manifesto says UAPA will be withdrawn. But it was the Left government that evoked it multiple times.
When there’s such a law, state governments won’t be able to stay away. It’s an existing law. It should be withdrawn.
What’s your first election-related memory?
I remember the 1957 election as a student. In the 1960 polls and the 1962 LS elections, I was active in party work. In the 1967 polls, I was concentrating on Kollam district. My lone electoral battle was in 1971 against R Balakrishna Pillai from Mavelikkara. I lost by around 50,000 votes. I still remember how party workers affectionately refer to me as someone who’s like a younger brother of Communist veteran P K Vasudevan Nair, who won from this region earlier. Later, I shifted my full focus to party’s organisational work and never contested elections.
