Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 13 2024-
Kerala leader of the opposition V.D. Satheesan said that the United Democratic Front (UDF)-led parties have whole-heartedly welcomed Priyanka Gandhi to contest from the Wayanad.
He added that preparations have already commenced and the election machinery of the UDF will be in full swing once the dates are announced to ensure a record margin victory for Priyanka Gandhi.
The Kerala LoP also claimed that the CPI-M helped the BJP candidate Suresh Gopi to win the Thrissur Lok Sabha and blamed the BJP and the RSS for disrupting the Thrissur Pooram festival which helped the BJP to win the Thrissur Lok Sabha, adding that the BJP uses the Hindu issues according to their convenience.
He said that after the Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan came to power for the second time, the morale of the opposition cadre was shattered. However, after the UDF won 18 out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats, it has made it a vibrant political force in the state.
Interview excerpts:
IANS: You have alleged that an ‘unholy alliance’ between the CPI-M and the BJP has taken place in Kerala. Please explain.
Satheesan: I strongly feel that the CPI-M and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan have been instrumental in the victory of BJP candidate Suresh Gopi. It is the first time a BJP leader has won a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. There have been several other instances including the gold smuggling case wherein the Principal Secretary of the Chief Minister was arrested and jailed but the case did not reach anywhere. This is also part of the nexus between the CPI-M and the BJP.
IANS: But hasn’t the Serious Fraud Investigation Agency (SFIO) questioned Veena Vijayan? Isn’t it a contradiction?
Satheesan: The SFIO commenced their investigation in January 2024 but why have they summoned her now? It is likely the Election Commission of India will announce the dates of by-elections to the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly seats as also the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Then there will be a narrative that the BJP government at the Centre is taking strong action against the CPI-M leadership including the Chief Minister. They will also try to say that there is a direct fight between CPI-M and BJP in Kerala. This same narrative was made during the Lok Sabha polls and the 2021 Assembly elections as well. However, the public knows the reality and about the unholy nexus between CPI-M and the BJP.
IANS: There have been allegations that the BJP and RSS with the help of police disrupted the Thrissur Pooram festival to win the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat.
Satheesan: The RSS and BJP are playing the Hindutva card in a selective manner to win elections. This was visible at Thrissur Pooram, the biggest festival of Kerala where lakhs congregate. The Kerala Police disrupted the Pooram which was held this time in the midst of Lok Sabha elections and the police played a game according to the BJP script. The BJP candidate from Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, Suresh Gopi won the seat as there was a strong Hindu sentiment after the Pooram was disrupted which the BJP capitalised upon. The RSS and BJP are using the Hindu issues according to their convenience.
IANS: Will the UDF be able to win the 2026 Assembly elections?
Satheesan: The people of the state are fed up with the Pinarayi Vijayan. His government is mired in several corruption cases with the Chief Minister himself being under the scanner. The two by-elections at Thrikkakara and Puthupally that took place after the second term of Pinarayi Vijayan were won comfortably by the UDF. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the UDF won 18 of the 20 seats which shows how much people are against the Left government. We will win the 2026 Assembly elections and return back to power in Kerala.
IANS: If UDF wins the 2026 Assembly elections, will you become Chief Minister of the Congress-led coalition government?
Satheesan: My job is to bring UDF back to power and as an opposition leader, I am doing my work to infuse confidence in our cadres. The rest will be decided by the Congress high command.
IANS: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi will be contesting from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. What are your preparations for the polls which are likely to be announced soon?
Satheesan: The UDF-led parties have whole-heartedly welcomed Priyanka to contest from the Wayanad. We have already commenced our preparations for the elections and the election machinery of the UDF will be in full swing once the dates are announced ensuring a record margin victory for Priyanka Gandhi for her maiden entry to Lok Sabha.
IANS: You have also been reaching out to Muslims and Christians in Kerala as well?
Satheesan: I don’t treat people based on their religious beliefs. People at the helm of affairs of these minority communities know who I am. I was invited as a speaker by almost all the Muslim and Christian groups of the state. I’m a true secularist and a God-fearing person and my beliefs are my personal matter. I have also been invited as a speaker by many Hindu community organisations.
IANS: You have been Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition for the last three years now. Have you lived up to people’s expectations?
Satheesan: I think yes. When I became Leader of the Opposition, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Front government was coming back to power. The morale of the cadre was shattered. It was a herculean task to boost their morale. But we did put our act together and have now gelled into a single unit. We won two by-elections with record margins. We won 18 out of the 20 seats. This is our resurgence and I think as a Leader of the Opposition, we have performed as per people’s expectations. (Agency)
