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Ramesh Chennithala: ‘BJP eating more votes from CPI(M) than Cong’
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala discusses election strategy, highlighting UDF's chance for change amid disillusionment with the LDF government in Kerala.
As assembly elections in Kerala approach and the race for power heats up, senior Congress leader and party election campaign committee chairman Ramesh Chennithala spoke to HT about the party’s election strategy, major poll planks and other key issues.
Q. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has suffered back-to-back defeats in assembly elections in the state. What are your chances this time?
A. First, the 2021 assembly elections took place in the shadow of COVID-19... At the time, the LDF government was seen as a saviour. People were starving and the government was paying pensions and distributing food kits and medicines. At the time, all ruling governments gained an advantage, such as in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and even the United Kingdom. Secondly, (Narendra) Modi doesn’t want a Congress government here. He wants Congress-Mukt Bharat, so he doesn’t mind if the CPI(M) government (gets re-elected). According to our data, in 69 constituencies, (a section of) NDA votes went to CPI(M). These are the reasons for the 2021 defeat. But now, people are disillusioned. Ten years is a long period and people want change...Unfortunately, nothing has been done in the last 10 years...The common man is facing a big crisis... All these factors will help us form an alternative government.
Q. Do you think it’s a negative vote against the LDF government or a positive vote for the UDF that will bring you to power?
A. Both factors are working. We are definitely highlighting the government’s faults and at the same time telling the voters what we plan to do if elected. We will transform Kerala’s economy. Our public debt has increased from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹6.5 lakh crore. The public exchequer is empty and... there is no proper collection of taxes.
Q. But the chief minister and the LDF government seem to believe that their thrust on infrastructure, especially the national highway expansion projects, upgradation of schools and hospitals using funds from Kerala Infrastructure and Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and the state’s improvement in the ease of doing business rankings have spread goodwill among the public. How do you respond?
A. KIIFB model is out-of-budget borrowing. Where is the money coming from? When we purchase 1 litre of petrol, ₹2 is going to KIIFB. And the only revenue for KIIFB is issuance of masala bonds. It was a big folly because the interest rate is 9.75%. They are projecting that they have launched projects worth ₹1 lakh crore using KIIFB funds. It’s totally false. This is not the first time that school buildings have been constructed in Kerala. They were built during the time of Maharajas and by Christian missionaries too. Today, KIIFB funds are being misused for advertisements. There is no level playing ground for us.
Q. Where does the Congress stand on the tussle between the Kerala government and the Centre on the state’s rightful financial dues? And if voted to power, how would you take care of the state’s lofty expenses, particularly the social welfare pension bill?
A. We will find new avenues of revenue production. It doesn’t mean we are going to tax the people. There are so many loopholes in the present system. We will cut the loopholes and any public debt we take will be utilised for revenue generation. The CPI(M)-led government has not repaid the public debt. Every government has to take public debt. But there is a ceiling – because of the Fiscal Responsibility Act passed by Parliament, 3% of the GDP will be the public debt limit. Of course, we stand for more central assistance and every state is demanding that. When officials of the 15th Finance Commission came here, we also demanded a 50-50 share of the revenue model... At the same time, when we come to power, we will cut short all kinds of excess expenditure and also non-productive programmes which will eat a lot of money from the Centre.
Q. Coming to the upcoming elections, has the UDF and Congress reached an understanding on seat-sharing? Have you finalised the candidates?
A. We have already started discussions with the UDF partners. 75% to 80% of that work is over. Within Congress, we had a series of discussions about the candidates. We will announce the first list of candidates within 2-3 days of the announcement of elections. There is not going to be a major change in seat-sharing among allies.
Q. One of the charges that opposition parties like the CPI(M) and BJP raise against your party is the internal factionalism and how it will affect governance if voted to power. Is there any factionalism? And will the Congress declare a chief ministerial candidate?
A. There is no big tussle in the party in Kerala. Everyone is working together. Everyone wants to see that the next government will be ours. Of course, there are so many eligible people for the chief minister’s post in Kerala. Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Malikarjun Kharge called all of us to Delhi and we discussed the pros and cons...The leadership will be decided by the high command. And it’s decision will be acceptable to everyone.
Q. Kerala is extremely key to the Congress’ electoral outings, especially after a string of defeats in states like Bihar and Delhi. The central leadership has a lot of expectations. As the campaign committee chief, are you confident of a victory?
A. Definitely, we are going to win with a good margin. We are aiming for 100 out of 140 seats and a comfortable majority.
Q. In the Sabarimala gold theft case, fingers have also been pointed at the Congress over photographs of Sonia Gandhi and Adoor Prakash with the key accused Unnikrishnan Potty. Have you been able to explain this to the people?
A. Nowadays, when people come to meet leaders, we all take photographs. You cannot say no to them. Someone might have gone with Unnikrishnan Potty to meet then- Congress president Sonia Gandhi. It was 15 years ago. And they took a photograph. There is also a photo of the chief minister with Potty. If that is the case, then the chief minister must be interrogated. Sonia Gandhi is the kind of person who will not have any links with such people. At the time, he (Potty) was not a culprit. Later on, he might have become one. As far as Adoor Prakash is concerned, he is the MP from Attingal. So he may have been called for some function by Potty.
Q. Another issue that roiled the Congress a lot was the sexual assault allegations against Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, now expelled from your party. Why did your party not conduct any background check at the time of fielding him for the bye- election?
A. Well, that is not possible. At the time, he was the elected Youth Congress president and he was given the ticket in that capacity. We don’t know about the personal details of a person.
Q. How do you see the growth of the BJP in Kerala? The party has influence in some key pockets in the state and is managing to dent the Congress votes there.
A. Earlier, it was like that where in certain areas, votes of the Congress were eaten by the BJP. But during the last LS election, things have changed. BJP is eating votes more from the CPI(M) than us. I don’t think that BJP will play a major role in this election. I don’t see them winning any seats here.
Q. And do you see the LDF and NDA as equal rivals?
A. Actually, LDF is the primary rival, because they are in the government. BJP is not a significant factor here today. So our major tussle will be with LDF. But we will keep an eye on the BJP.
