Being politically left-wing is not a label that can always be attached to one party. It should be based on the progressive stance the party takes despite political, social or economic vicissitudes, he says on the opposition leader’s claim that the UDF is the “true Left”.
What will be the most important issue that could decide the choice of voters in this assembly election?
I think the anti-government sentiment against the state government will play a major role in the election result this time. Because on many fronts, people feel that law and order is not under control. Take the Sabarimala gold theft case for example. The stolen goods have not yet been recovered. The accused, including senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader A. Padmakumar, are out on statutory bail as the charges were not filed in time. They are all influential people with strong political connections. Take the suicide of former Additional District Magistrate Naveen Babu. Why is the government afraid of being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation? Similar cases also concern the Ministry of Education and Health.
But LDF is looking for another date to continue its development work…
We cannot deny the fact that the public works department has done a good job over the years. New roads and bridges have been added in many places. The argument that the current government should continue in power to continue development works is hollow. At least some of the major projects that were completed during Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s tenure were started during Oommen Chandy’s tenure. This means that development can continue even if another government comes in.
Most of the political parties fielded most of their existing legislators this time. What does this mean?
Indian society has the problem of gerontocracy, the rule of old people. AK Saseendran, the LDF candidate from Elathur in Kozhikode, is contesting for the ninth time. People become chief ministers and prime ministers when they are in their 70s and 80s, except in some rare cases like the one in Assam when Prafulla Kumar Mahanta led the government there. Only the Indian Union Muslim League tried to cater more to the youth in this election.
Unlike other elections, a large number of left-wing leaders have now shifted their loyalties. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan claims that the United Democratic Front is the “real Left”. What is your opinion on this?
Being politically left-wing is not a label that can always be attached to one party. It should be based on the progressive stance the party takes despite political, social or economic upheavals. For example, when it comes to the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple, none of the major political parties in Kerala now take a pro-left and progressive stance. Almost everyone is against it, right? It is a right-wing view to say that tariff protection is a “renaissance”. The Communist Party of India continues with the LDF because it does not want to be labeled as “right wing”. During a crucial period in history, the CPI was with the Congress. Such was their political stance. No one doubts that the BJP is a right-wing party. Compared to the BJP, the Congress can be described as a left-wing party. To keep this party out of power at the Center and in Kerala, the Congress should be elected to office not for an infinite period but for five years.
