In an interaction with TNIE, Congress leader Sachin Pilot slams LDF rule, claims he does not know anything about Jamaat-e-Islami, and calls chief minister’s comments against Rahul Gandhi absurd. Excerpts:
The UDF has been in the opposition for a decade. How confident is the Congress heading into this election?
In the last Lok Sabha election, we won all seats, except one. In the recent local body elections, we received an unprecedented stamp of approval from the people of Kerala. Taken together with the public mood after 10 years of LDF rule, it’s clear that voters have made up their minds in favour of the UDF.
This confidence is driven not just by dissatisfaction with the government’s performance, but also by Rahul Gandhi’s five guarantees and our commitment to a positive, futuristic, and inclusive manifesto. We have a clear vision and a proven track record of delivering for Kerala.
The response we have received so far to candidate selection, UDF campaign, and the enthusiasm among party workers indicate that people are eager to vote out LDF. I am absolutely confident that we will get a thumping majority.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has been claiming 100 seats. What are your expectations?
I don’t give numbers. However, I believe we will secure a majority larger than we have achieved in the past few decades.
If elected, what do you promise the people of Kerala?
We want to deliver the kind of government the people of Kerala truly deserve. Over the past decade, the LDF leadership has grown increasingly arrogant. There have been scandals, corruption allegations, and attempts to conceal misgovernance.
The Left has also visibly retreated from its earlier strong stance against the BJP. Once at the forefront of the anti-BJP movement nationally, they now appear to have ceded ground.
The chief minister, the CPM, and the LDF seem to have yielded to the pressure of the BJP that wields agencies like the ED and CBI.
What is your response to the chief minister’s remarks about Rahul Gandhi and the BJP?
Rahul Gandhi has faced 31 cases under the BJP government. He is the only person in India’s history to be disqualified from Parliament on privilege grounds — clear evidence of sustained political targeting. The Congress’s bank accounts were even frozen ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Which CPM leader has faced comparable action?
Take the SNC-Lavalin case — the Supreme Court has adjourned it 31 times. Doesn’t that raise questions about the equation between the Union government and the chief minister? Against this backdrop, the CM’s claim that Rahul Gandhi is in collusion with the Centre is not just baseless, it’s absurd. Rahul Gandhi’s recent speech in Thiruvananthapuram seems to have clearly unsettled him.
Has the Congress got any understanding with political Islamist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami?
The Congress party’s position is clear: we will oppose any organisation — political or religious — that acts against India’s interests, regardless of religion. Our alliances are strictly with secular parties.
If any individual or group expresses views or follows an ideology that is against the Constitution or the law of the land, we will stand firmly against them.
We are committed to inclusiveness, where all religions are equal under the law, and the Constitution remains paramount. Any organisation or individual that violates constitutional values will not have our support. We believe that India is first, our flag is first, our nation is first and our Constitution is first.
Are you aware that Jamaat-e-Islami propagates Islamic nationhood?
I don’t know what organisation you are talking about. Any organisation that does not put India first will not get our support.
Is the Congress relying on polarisation of Muslim votes?
Not at all. Kerala is a state of diverse religions and communities. We aim to secure support from all sections of society. It’s wrong to assume that Congress is targeting only one section of voters.
There are allegations that if UDF comes to power, it will be the Muslim League which will have the control…
The League has been our ally for decades and holds a share in government as a respected partner. But this fear-mongering mirrors the BJP’s playbook in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
I am not surprised the Left is following suit — centralising power, undermining party workers and people — just like the BJP did while in power.
