‘There’s A BJP-Congress Nexus Against CPI(M)’

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan speaks about the ruling LDF’s prospects in the Kerala assembly election. He tells Preetha Nair that there is a secret understanding between the Congress and the BJP to defeat the CPI(M)-led front at any cost. Excerpts from the interview:

What are your prospects this time?

We will return to office with an even ­bigger majority than we had in 2016.

Kerala has never given a second consecutive chance to any government except in 1977. Pre-poll surveys suggest you might be heading to script history. What factors will work in your favour?

The main factor is the experience of people in the past five years. They have seen that development and welfare did not take a back seat even when Kerala was battered by successive disasters. They want Kerala to march ahead in that very direction, with rene­wed vigour. They have seen the LDF government braving every storm from the forefront. People trust us because we are reliable and they know we will keep our word. And when you have a friend who values promises, you will not give up on that friendship.

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Women’s entry to the Sabarimala temple has again become a bone of contention. Your minister expressed regret over the incidents of 2018, but CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the party believes in a policy of equality. Will this impact the party’s prospects?

Sabarimala is not an issue. Pilgrimage continues as usual there and the matter is under the Supreme Court’s consideration. Once the court decides, we will ­discuss it with all concerned parties. People are not interested in controversies. They are talking about corruption-free development and welfare.

The CPI(M) alleges a secret understanding between the Congress and the BJP. But RSS leader R. Balashankar says the CPI(M) and the BJP have secret ties?

Balashankar’s colleagues have rejected his utterances. And how can you not take into account O. Rajagopal’s words? This is the first time an active BJP leader has accepted there was a secret pact among the Congress, the Muslim League and the BJP. He is the seniormost RSS leader in Kerala, and the only elected representative the BJP has had in the state. When he accepts it, it is irrefutable.

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Though Rajagopal admitted to  such an alliance in the past, BJP leader M.T. Ramesh also hinted at an earlier CPI(M)-BJP tie-up. How do you react?

Ramesh’s comments were riddled with historical inaccuracies. How can one take it seriously? Former Union minister K.P. Unnikrishnan of the Congress too said the party traded votes to the BJP in 1991 in Vadakara, the constituency where he contested. The Congress candidate in Thripunithura this time has said he will get the BJP’s votes. Is that not another clear indication of the electoral understanding that the BJP and the Congress have at the state level in Kerala? The BJP-Congress ­understanding is to defeat the CPI(M) at any cost, and that has been there ­between them for quite sometime now.

The Congress says the BJP will grow at their expense and accuses the CPI(M) of helping the BJP in the mission….

If the Congress feels the BJP is growing at their expense, they should undertake remedial measures right away. There is not a moment to lose. We have always maintained that secular and democratic forces in the country should flourish so that sectarian and authoritarian forces can be checked.

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The CPI(M) has benched many popular ministers after imposing a strict ­two-term norm for the assembly ­election. What is the reason behind such a decision? Your ­detractors say it was a move intended to cut some ministers to size.

For the CPI(M), ­electoral politics is not the sole means to ­advance people’s ­struggles, but just one among the avenues. Building the party is equally important. We need our capable comrades to build the party in such a way that we are able to address more issues affecting the people, thereby truly becoming a mass party. In 1998, I was a minister when I was asked to leave the ­government and take up responsibilities in the party. I gladly did that. We all do.

There are criticisms that the ­electioneering is focused only on the CM, and that you are functioning in an ­autocratic manner. There are also ­criticisms that you haven’t cultivated the second rung of leadership.

You should take a look at our candidates who are contesting this time. Thirty-eight of them are newcomers; 13 are from student and youth organisations; 12 are women. Are we not cultivating new and young leaders? During our ­tenure, I have held more press ­conferences than any other CM in the country, and have been taking questions in all of them. Over the past five years, we have held all-party meetings and called special sessions of the assembly on all major issues affecting Kerala. Even in the face of disasters, the Opposition was taken along to visit the affected places. Does that seem ­autocratic to you?

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You have also taken on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) by alleging that the central government is using investigative agencies for political purposes. Do you think allegations of corruption will play spoilsport for the party?

When a crime that undermines the ­nation’s economy was done through an airport that is under the central ­government, we did the right thing by voluntarily seeking an investigation by central agencies. No other state has done so. That is ­because our hands are clean and we have ­nothing to be afraid of. However, when those very ­agencies are ­instigated to topple our development activities and poke into our policy matters, we cannot allow that. We are ­constitutionally bound to defend the interests of the state.

It seems this election is being fought on highly polarised lines as all the main parties are trying to appease the minority ­communities. A section of Christians is warming up to the BJP. The CPI(M) has also been criticised for indulging in ­sectarian rhetoric.

We have always opposed sectarianism of all shades, and we will continue to do so. Make no mistake; they are equally ­detrimental to our secularism and ­democracy. To us, this election is being fought between those who are committed to corruption-free development and welfare, and those who will do whatever it may take to topple it. Our appeal to the people is simple: should Kerala continue to progress by leaps and bounds or not? I am sure Keralites will stand by the larger interests of the state, rather than going by mere partisan considerations.