CPM central committee member T M Thomas Isaac is confident of the LDF getting a third successive term in Kerala. Sharing his pre-poll thoughts with TNIE, the former finance minister says the BJP, which once grew at UDF’s expense, has started encroaching into the Left base too. Excerpts
What are the chances of LDF scripting history with a third consecutive term?
Continuity in office is crucial—not just for the Left in Kerala, but for the national Left movement. Our biggest strength is a decade of governance focused on development and welfare. There is no anti-incumbency; we’ve delivered, and now we must complete what we started. Our campaign is built on this record. Major infrastructure projects were executed through extra-budgetary resources.
The opposition, meanwhile, lacks a clear strategy—having rejected this model, they must either halt investments or scale back welfare. If we communicate this effectively, the LDF stands to gain significantly. Every Left MLA represents this development push. By our assessment, the Left is set to secure a third term.
Congress has come out with a five-point guarantee...
The reason why governments provide money to women and girls in north India and other states is because of their lower education status. What is the point of implementing such a scheme in Kerala? Without delving into the peculiar situation of Kerala, Congress is announcing schemes that were implemented in other parts of the country.
Many Left leaders have repeatedly made anti-Muslim remarks, because of which UDF hopes for a Muslim vote consolidation favouring them...
At no point in Kerala’s history has the Left taken an anti-Muslim stand. Even nationally, its policy framework places strong emphasis on protecting minority rights.
The real concern is the rise of Hindutva forces in the state. The Congress is attempting to brand criticism of Islamic terrorism as anti-Muslim, while the UDF’s decision to include Jama’at-e-Islami appears shortsighted—focused on defeating the LDF now, without weighing long-term consequences. Amid this, the debate has shifted to development and welfare guarantees, which clearly favours the Left. Congress’s use of the term “Neo-Kerala” is itself problematic, particularly within Left-liberal discourse.
Your assessment of BJP’s chances in the elections...
BJP won’t win any seat. They have the same chances they had in the last election.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly alleged that Modi and Pinarayi share an unholy political connection because the cases against Pinarayi are not being followed up...
We can say the same of them too. Look at the number of political turncoats, of MPs and MLAs, from Congress to BJP. Let him come here and debate about actual politics.
Many ex-MLAs have bid adieu to the Left, some joining UDF and BJP. Does the party view this seriously?
None of them went out of the blue, but had maintained a distance from the party in recent times. BJP is willing to take them irrespective of the reason why they left.
Why is the party unable to use the potential goodwill of leaders like K K Shailaja, instead fielding her as a candidate in a closely contested constituency?
We are using that goodwill to win the seat, she will definitely win from there. Mattanur is one of the seats which will stand with us, no matter what. We are using her talents and abilities. I am not contesting this time. Is it because I don’t have the talent?
Why aren’t you contesting?
There are other ways of contributing without being an elected representative. I can contribute to non-parliamentary affairs.
Which front will bear the brunt of BJP’s growth ?
BJP used to grow at UDF’s expense. But of late, this has changed. They are now creeping into lower caste mass base too. So there’s all the more reason for the Left to stay guarded against BJP and its ideology. They (BJP) are appropriating Kerala’s symbols of religiosity.
Do you mean to say BJP is encroaching into the Left base?
There has been an erosion (in Left base). No doubt. But it hasn’t gone beyond control. When they got 19%, it gave an impression that they would make it big. But in the next two elections, their vote percentage went down to 16%.
(TNIE team: Anil S,K S Sreejith,Aswin Asok Kumar)