Kerela elections: CM Pinarayi Vijayan says people will evaluate our crisis resilience

CM Pinarayi Vijayan says he expects a resounding mandate for LDF as the govt has been a reliable shield protecting both secular fabric and developmental momentum of Kerala How has the campaign progressed so far? What are your expectations?

■ It has progressed remarkably well. The energy on the ground is highly encouraging. The people of Kerala are politically astute and evaluate a govt based on its resilience during crises and its long-term vision. We expect a resounding mandate for Left Democratic Front (LDF). The electorate clearly recognises that this govt is a reliable shield protecting both Kerala’s secular fabric and its developmental momentum.

Were you able to communicate the govt’s good initiatives to masses during campaign?

■ We believe in presenting facts and a clear progress report rather than mere rhetoric. Accountability is the hallmark of LDF. We approached public with concrete achievements, including the construction of over 5 lakh homes through LIFE Mission, elevation of our public schools and hospitals to global standards and our successful microplan to eradicate extreme poverty. Simultaneously, we broke the myth that major development projects cannot happen in Kerala. The realisation of Vizhinjam international seaport, rapid execution of National Highway 66 widening, completion of GAIL pipeline and the launch of Kochi Water Metro and K-FON network are testaments to our unyielding political will. Our campaign simply highlights the contrast between our politics of tangible development and opposition’s politics of disruption.




Several CPM leaders switched to rival camp close to elections. Was there intervention from outside forces to push them to leave the party?

■ CPM is bound by ideology and not by lure of power or personal wealth. Across the country, we are witnessing an exodus of leaders from other parties to BJP, often driven by opportunism or fear of central investigative agencies. If a handful of individuals with weak convictions leave the Left, it acts as a pr ocess of self purification for the party.

There is an allegation that CPM is fast becoming a ‘rightist’ party that abandoned core Marxist values. How do you view this?

■ That is a deliberate mischaracterisation. Right-wing economic policy is defined by privatisation of public assets, withdrawal of state from education and healthcare and the slashing of welfare. LDF is doing the exact opposite. When the Union govt put Hindustan Newsprint Ltd up for distress sale, we bought it and revived it as Kerala Paper Products Ltd. We declared internet a basic human right and built K-FON. We are distributing Rs 2,000 as monthly welfare pension to 62 lakh people. Inviting investment to build a modern knowledge economy and create jobs for our youth is the practical application of our principles to generate wealth so that it can be equitably distributed.

CPM claims that LDF will get a mandate for forming a govt for a third consecutive term. What is the basis of your confidence?

■ Our confidence is rooted in our vision and our unwavering commitment to it. We have successfully merged world-class social welfare with massive infrastructure development. Kerala consistently ranks first in NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals index and health indices. People trust us because we have proven that we deliver on our promises.

Recent local body election results have been widely interpreted as reflecting anti-incumbency sentiment against LDF govt...

■ It’s a fallacy to extrapolate local body election results to gauge statewide anti-incumbency. Local elections are influenced by hyperlocal issues, ward-level candidate dynamics, and tactical voting arrangements between Congress and BJP aimed solely at defeating Left. When it comes to state assembly, the electorate evaluates the overarching vision, stability of leadership and the state’s macro-level development. The LDF’s structural foundation at grassroots remains unshaken and the broad public consensus is firmly with our developmental agenda.

■ CPM has clearly stated that LDF doesn’t need RSS votes. But the party lacks such a clarity on the stand towards outfits like SDPI, which are clearly communal. Why?Let me be absolutely clear on this point. Left has zero tolerance for communalism of any shade. We view majority communalism as the primary threat to India’s constitutional democracy. Minority communalism is equally dangerous and it acts as the greatest enabler for majority communalism. They feed off each other to divide the working class. CPM has never compromised with these forces.

What is the home department’s important achievement in Kerala in the past 10 years? And what are the drawbacks, if any?■ The most significant achievement is that Kerala remains an oasis of communal harmony and peace in a country currently fraught with polarisation. Furthermore, Kerala Police have modernised immensely, earning national accolades for scientific crime investigation, women’s safety and maintaining the lowest corruption rates in the country. Regarding areas for improvement, in a large uniformed force, you may occasionally find individuals who violate the code of conduct. However, our distinction is our zero-tolerance policy. We do not shield the guilty. Swift and exemplary action is taken against any officer found violating law or human rights. Political parties are increasingly spending money on PR works and campaign. CPM doesn’t seem to be an exception. Why?

■ You must distinguish between corporate style public relations and democratic transparency. When a govt uses public funds, it is to inform citizens about their rights and welfare opportunities. A responsible govt has a constitutional duty to communicate its policies and achievements to people. We don’t spend money on vanity projects or mere personal branding. We spend it on institutional transparency and public awareness.

Opposition claims that over the past decade, LDF govt has not successfully initiated and completed any major project within its tenure, arguing that most flagship projects credited to LDF were actually launched during previous UDF govt. How would you respond to the allegation?

■ Laying a foundation stone and abandoning a project is not an achievement. Take National Highway 66 for example. The inaction under the previous UDF govt was so severe that NHAI was ready to leave Kerala. It was the LDF that stepped in, committing over Rs 5,500 crore for land acquisition to execute it. GAIL pipeline was deadlocked previously, but we navigated the hurdles and completed it. Kochi Water Metro, Digital Science Park and K-FON project are entirely our initiatives. Even for Vizhinjam, while the previous govt signed a flawed contract, the actual physical construction happened during our tenure.

In case LDF retains power, what steps will the govt take to bring back investors’ confidence in cooperative banks?

■ Cooperative sector is the financial lifeline of Kerala’s rural economy. A few isolated incidents of irregularity are being deliberately sensationalised by the opposition and central agencies to destroy this robust, alternative banking sector. We won’t allow that to happen. We have already initiated uncompromising legal and recovery actions against the wrongdoers.

While LDF govt is widely recognised for its largescale welfare initiatives, concerns have been raised about the state’s fiscal situation and its ability to sustain these programmes. How are you planning to address these challenges if you retain power?■ Kerala’s fiscal stress is not a result of our welfare schemes. It is an artificial crisis engineered by the Union govt. Centre unconstitutionally slashed our borrowing limits, ended GST compensation and weaponised finance commission to cut our revenue deficit grants. This has cost the state a lot. Despite this financial embargo, we have not stopped a single welfare measure. We managed this by drastically improving our tax administration, increasing the state’s own tax revenue by nearly 50% in a short span. We will continue to fight Centre’s discrimination politically and legally while creatively mobilising resources to ensure our commitment to the marginalised remains absolute.