In 2019, the CPI(M) was profoundly shocked when the party lost the Palakkad Lok Sabha seat after holding it for six consecutive terms. The party’s two-time MP, M.B. Rajesh, suffered a defeat by 11,637 votes to V.K. Sreekandan of the Congress. Determined to reclaim its stronghold, the CPI(M) has fielded A. Vijayaraghavan, a member of the Polit Bureau from the seat.
In the past, the Left had fielded its iconic leaders like A.K. Gopalan and E.K. Nayanar from Palakkad, and won the elections. But they lost the seat in early 1980s. In 1989 elections, the party fielded Vijaraghavan, who was then the president of the SFI—the student wing of the party—to recapture the seat. He fulfilled the party's directive. Now, thirty-five years later, Vijayaraghavan is a member of the politburo, and the party has once again entrusted him with the responsibility of recapturing the seat. THE WEEK interviewed the senior leader during his campaign trail in Pattambi. Excerpts:
A politburo member himself is now contesting in Palakkad. This constituency had long been a CPI(M) stronghold, but the results of the last election were indeed shocking. So, is the organizational setup ensuring extra care, given that a PB member is contesting here?
Last time, we lost the seat under special circumstances. However, this is a place with a strong CPI(M) and left base. The Left candidates have historically won this seat numerous times. In assembly elections, we have delivered strong performances, and the same holds true for local body elections. The Left governs in most of the panchayats, and farmers and other laborers wholeheartedly support the party here. We also have a strong base among different communities, which increases our chances. At the organizational level, we must exercise caution in all elections. No election should be taken lightly. Given that we need to secure more seats from Kerala, the party organization is operating with heightened alertness here.
This question comprises two parts: The first part concerns the BJP's presence in this constituency. The BJP has made significant strides in increasing its vote share in Palakkad constituency over the past couple of elections. How do you assess their growth and progress in this constituency? The second part pertains to the BJP’s messaging on a national scale. The BJP is attempting to convey the impression that regardless of the results in South Indian states like Kerala, Modi is set to return to power. How is your party addressing this propaganda?
The BJP does not enjoy a stable vote base in Palakkad. In Panchayat elections, their base votes are scrutinized, and it reveals that they have a majority in hardly any panchayats within this constituency. Their significant presence is limited to the urban areas of Palakkad. There is no evidence elsewhere in the constituency suggesting that the BJP has expanded its vote base. This trend was also observed in assembly elections. Their vote share has not seen a major increase; in fact, it decreased compared to the last Lok Sabha elections. They only enjoy support in pockets of certain communities in Palakkad town, lacking mass support.
"In response to the second part, Narendra Modi symbolizes the BJP's RSS influence on the national stage. His emphasis on anti-minority measures, alignment with the RSS agenda, and commitment to (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat have defined his tenure. However, these actions have not positively impacted the lives of ordinary citizens. In reality, his administration's shortcomings are evident as the country grapples with high unemployment and an economic downturn. Modi's image is bolstered by dubious statistics, primarily benefiting the wealthy. Instead of enhancing people's lives, the BJP prioritizes communal agendas. This will be a significant point of discussion in the upcoming elections. Given the unity among opposition parties, I do not believe Modi will secure a majority. Where does the BJP expect to gain more seats this time? In fact, they may lose even more seats due to the unity among opposition parties.
But even those people who are against the politics of BJP know the tagline “Modi’s guarantee”. Is the INDIA bloc still lagging to bring forth such a powerful slogan to counter BJP?
Modi’s guarantee is a fake slogan; a pseudo slogan. Some company that is taking care of Modi’s image building process coined that slogan. It is not the slogan of the people of India. BJP is trying to make it a slogan through paid advertisements. But people have already forgotten this slogan. It was possible to talk about his guarantee only till the election declaration. Now they cannot advertise any “guarantee”. People have the capacity and common sense to understand all these fake slogans. Do not underestimate the people. I respect the masses. I can assure you that people are going to approach this election with so much seriousness. They will give a highly political answer to BJP.
You mentioned that Congress leaders are prone to defection and cannot be trusted. However, a pertinent question arises: why has the Left formed an alliance with these so-called 'untrustworthy' individuals at the national level?
This is arguably the biggest weakness of the Congress party at present. Even if we try to overlook this weakness, it still lingers, as the defection of numerous leaders from the Congress raises doubts about the party's integrity. This is a reality we cannot afford to ignore. This discussion regarding the Congressmen of Kerala is crucial. Kerala’s Congress leaders perceive the Left as their primary opponent. Should we adopt a lenient approach towards them? Certainly not. We will undoubtedly criticize them. Kerala’s Congress leaders do not hesitate to make adjustments even with the BJP, so we must criticize them firmly. However, it is imperative for India’s secular forces to unite against Narendra Modi and his ideology, which forms the foundation of basic politics. There is no doubt about the importance of this basic politics. Yet, we must also strongly condemn opportunistic stances.
We are able to do so because we remain consistent in our politics and left ideology. We uphold the Left’s consistent stance. Just because we have formed the INDIA bloc, does that mean we will refrain from projecting our stance? Absolutely not. Furthermore, the INDIA bloc does not follow a national-level alliance pattern. Instead, each state has its version of the INDIA bloc, where regional parties play a crucial role. A robust INDIA bloc exists only in places where regional parties within the bloc are strong. It will only be after the election that we will witness its consolidation and formation of an alliance at the national level. Our collective agenda is to establish a secular government.
While the CPI(M) has made the notification of CAA a major poll issue, there is a perception that the party has not provided a clear stance on the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Has the party taken a stance of complete non-cooperation with the NRC?
The issue lies in the fact that not everything should be projected as 'anti-Muslim'. These laws are anti-minority, and the emerging system is detrimental not only to Muslims but also to Christians [and other minorities]. Such a system is not conducive to India. What we need is a political system that is all-inclusive.
