AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said the United Democratic Front would benefit from the Congress decision to rope in more youngsters and freshers as candidates. He said that the Left Democratic Front campaign was nothing more than a PR strategy.
What do you think of another term for the LDF government?
The government over the past five years has faced what no communist government should have faced. Now the truth has come out. All controversies have roots in corporate deals. The workers’ party is carrying on with its compromises. In another five years in power, it will lose all remaining communist ideals. Even the communists know that.
Are you saying that the CPM was not able to control the government?
Whenever the LDF was in power, the CPM had full control of the government. However, the party became irrelevant under Pinarayi Vijayan. The party has a “fear complex” towards Pinarayi. Just look at Pinarayi’s campaign projecting him as the captain. Is this how the communists work?
What is the basis of the campaign that all communities are threatened?
This is a government that deliberately divided society on communal lines. Pinarayi is imitating (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. The BJP government divides the people communally to divert attention from real issues whenever it fails. On the Sabarimala issue, the Supreme Court order followed a government affidavit. Now the government is saying that it will hold talks after the verdict is out. Shouldn’t they have discussed before filing the affidavit? Minister Kadakampally Surendran expressed his regrets to get votes in Kazhakoottam. Yet the party general secretary says there was no need for such an apology. The party is hurting the devotees and deceiving them. Whenever the NSS or the Latin Catholic Church try to correct the government, they are being targeted.
Will Congress benefit from its decision to line up 55 per cent new candidates?
Candidate selection this time was a revolutionary step for the Congress. It is not easy to take such a decision in a party that has five or six qualified leaders to contest in each constituency. Several youngsters who never even dreamed of being a candidate were also selected. BS Anoop, the candidate in Chirayinkeezh, is the son of a labourer engaged under the Employment Guarantee Scheme. Aritha Babu in Kayamkulam sells milk before she carries out her social work. There are others as well from similar backgrounds.
What are the chances of the UDF amid a campaign for continuity in governance by the LDF?
Politically aware people of Kerala know how to take the right direction. If you look at things objectively, you will know that all the hype created by the LDF is actually the work of their PR firm. Ad firms have been given contracts of crores of rupees. The people want a change. That will be reflected in the election.