"Kerala's Opposition To Divisive Forces Must Not Weaken": Pinarayi Vijayan

Preparing to defend the Left's last bastion in India this time, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is confident that "people are with him" in his battle against "massive anti-constitutional forces". The 75-year-old Communist is set to contest the Assembly poll from the Dharmadom constituency in Kannur district, which, if he wins, will initiate his sixth term as MLA. Known to be a straight-talker and a no-nonsense politician, he is looking to break the state's decades-old record of an incumbent Chief Minister not securing a second consecutive term.

Mr Vijayan is approaching the polls at the end of a string of natural disasters, from cyclones to cloudbursts to a pandemic. His government has mostly been viewed as having successfully handled the crises. Yet, the main political plank of his Left Democratic Front regime is said to be the "all-round development" of the state. Then there is the huge ideological battle which his government claims to be engaged in with the opposition, especially the BJP-led NDA, which is betting on its chances of being a potential third pole in the state's otherwise bipolar politics.

"Kerala's Left government has stood strong against the BJP-led Centre's anti-constitutional and anti-secular policies at every step. Kerala must not weaken its opposition to such divisive forces. People are with us," Mr Vijayan told NDTV in Dharmadom.

"The BJP is repeatedly trying to create divisions in the society. Being a party that is leading India, it is acting opposite to the secularism enshrined in the Indian constitution. There have been several steps to disrupt harmony and secularism. It's this Left government that has stood uncompromisingly against the attempts to divide people," he said.

He has often alleged that the other key pole of Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front, has a tacit arrangement with the NDA with the sole aim of overturning the state's Leftist politics. Earlier this month, he had said that neither the BJP nor the Congress wants free and fair polls and that was the reason Central agencies had been "targeting" his government over alleged scams.      

"When did these allegations emerge? You should see the timing. As the elections neared. They have nothing else to say. When we came to power, there were so many allegations of corruption against the earlier government. We have worked against these and Kerala is (now) acknowledged as being among the least corrupt states globally," the Chief Minister said.

Another potential factor in this election is Sabarimala, the hill-temple at the centre of a gender debate. While the opposition has pilloried his government for its alleged "anti-Hindu" approach over the issue, he himself doesn't feel it will be a factor when people vote this time. The state had initially insisted on implementing a 2018 Supreme Court verdict that allowed entry inside the temple to women of menstruating age. In recent weeks, it has said a decision on the matter, which is sub judice, will be taken after discussions with all stakeholders even after the verdict of a larger bench of the Supreme Court is out.

"Some are trying to misinform people and use it for election gains. Parties trying to use Sabarimala have seen their loss during the local body polls," he said, referring to the Left's sweep of the December 2020 elections.

He also said alleged that the opposition had made a mockery of all the government measures during the many natural calamities the state faced since he took charge as Chief Minister in 2016. This includes Cyclone Okchi, the once-in-a-century flood of 2018, the second flood of 2019, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Vijayan's informative daily press conferences during some of these crises had become a major draw among the people. The opposition, however, had said that his government failed on the rehabilitation front, a claim he rubbished.

"We helped people with up to Rs 10 lakh for reconstruction of homes. We have stood with people all through, despite the opposition opposing us," the Chief Minister said.

"There were repeated natural calamities. There is no option but to face it. Our effort was to keep Kerala united and to keep people informed of everything. We were successful in that. We have increased the calamity-aid for people, pension of people. Contribution from the Centre has been minimal," he said.

Some of the disasters faced are said to have been a direct result of climate change. The issue, Mr Vijayan said, will be a priority: "My party will focus on climate change policies as it comes back to power."

Referring to his own chances at a second term, he left it to his parent organisation, the Communist Party of India Marxist. "I can't speak about myself. Because Chief Ministers are decided by the party after elections."