Cong never projects CM before polls: Chennithala
It has been six years since Ramesh Chennithala became the president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. The 54-year-old rose up the party echelons from being a student leader to a state minister at a young age, went on to be Youth Congress national president and a three-time Lok Sabha member. Along with Oommen Chandy, he is now a frontrunner to the chief minister’s post.
Chennithala tells Deccan Herald that all the talk about the Left Democratic Front (LDF) having made a recovery riding on a “V S Achuthanandan wave” is a media bubble, while indicating that he is very much in the race for chief ministership.
Q: The United Democratic Front (UDF) juggernaut appeared unstoppable till a few months ago. But now, even the man on the street thinks that it may be a close call.
A: The results of the byelections as well as panchayat elections will be repeated. The people have already made up their minds. The five-year misrule of LDF has shattered them and they know that this government cannot deliver anything. The state administration has been in a shambles and there was no collective responsibility in the government.
There is a definite feeling that the LDF government is incompetent to find solutions to their myriad problems. We are convinced that we will be getting an overwhelming majority in the elections.
Q: Every LDF candidate wants V S Achuthanandan to campaign for him or her because he is drawing huge crowds. Are you worried ?
A: We are neither worried about VS, nor do we believe that there is a VS factor at work. It is more of a media creation.
The same chief minister was in the saddle when we got an overwhelming majority in the last three elections—to the Lok Sabha, panchayats and in the Assembly byelections. Achuthanandan’s fight has always been within his party, whatever he has done was not intended for the people, but for getting an upper hand in the party.
He is fighting his own party secretary and others. That kind of image is a negative image which is not going to fetch votes for the LDF.
Q: But Kerala Congress leader Balakrishna Pillai’s recent jailing in a corruption case and the revival of the icecream parlour sex scandal linking IUML leader Kunhalikutty have both dented your front’s image.
A: Not at all. They are very old cases and you cannot fool the people with such gimmicks. The people expect greater things and actions from the chief minister.., issuing mere statements that he will jail this or that person is not going to help his party or the LDF. Are these the issues that will solve the people’s problems? Kerala has made no progress in the last five years.
In fact, the state went back 15 years in five years and both Achuthanandan and his government will have to answer for it.
Q: There has been much speculation on who is going to lead the UDF. Antony has suggested that Chandy will be the leader. But AICC general secretary incharge Madhusudan Mistry has clarified that both you and Chandy are competent. What is your take?
A: Our party has never projected a chief minister candidate before the elections in any state and same is the case here too. It is the high command which takes a call on it after the elections and this time also it will be that way.
Q: But, you are very much in contention, aren’t you?
A: (Laughs)
