Kerala: K.C. Venugopal in Alappuzha to prove his detractors wrong

Alappuzha was the only Lok Sabha seat that the CPI(M) won in Kerala in 2019, and it has now turned into a prestige battle for the Congress. K.C. Venugopal, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) is back in the fray to try and wrest it back for the Congress.

It’s a constituency ‘KCV’ knows well—he first won an Assembly seat here back in 1996, and then again in 2001 and 2006. He also won the Lok Sabha seat here in 2009 and 2014. He “did not contest in 2019”, he points out, lashing out at detractors (Prime Minister Narendra Modi among them), who have insinuated that he had a Rajya Sabha seat only because he “can’t win elections”.

Yes, it’s a prestige battle for KCV, who reminds us that he’s been around long enough to know what it takes to weather the rough and tumble of politics. “I began my political career when I was 13. Back in the 1970s, even school elections were fought on party lines.”

Edited excerpts of a conversation on the run with Ashlin Mathew, who caught up with him on the campaign trail:

What’s the secret of your connect with the people of Alappuzha?

In Alappuzha, most of my constituents are poor. I understand their needs, and right from the beginning, I’ve been able to mix with them, as one of them, without any hesitation. They approach me freely, whenever they want, whenever they have an issue to resolve, and they do this across party lines and religious and community identities.

You’ve won five elections and yet your critics say you can’t win elections. Even the prime minister attacked you indirectly…

I have accepted this as a challenge.

I have a counter-challenge for Modi: Let him come to Kerala to fight elections here and win. Why isn’t he fighting from Kerala?

I have won from Alappuzha five times; in 2019, I did not contest the general election. That doesn’t mean I can’t contest and win. When I didn’t contest, my detractors began to say I was afraid of losing. Precisely why I’ve accepted the challenge.

If you win, the Rajya Sabha seat you vacate will go to the BJP because they have the numbers. Have you thought this through?

We are working on a change of government at the Centre. That is our top priority, and that is why my party has sent me here—we must try and win as many seats as possible. I do have a year and a half left in the Rajya Sabha but, at this juncture, it’s more important to win Lok Sabha seats.

In Rajasthan, the Prime Minister gave an openly communal speech; he gave a communal twist to the Congress manifesto. How is the Congress going to counter this?

Our Prime Minister has just one weapon—communal polarisation.

He has no solution to the problems of the common citizen and no answer to the alarming unemployment situation. There are 30 lakh unfilled vacancies in the government sector itself.

Just look at the runaway increase in prices of essential commodities like cooking gas and diesel. What has the government done to resolve these issues? 

When will the government respond to the farmers’ distress? What about the empowerment of women? No action on those fronts.

I am a believer. I go to Guruvayoor every month, but I don’t have to advertise my religiosity.

...and the Congress will do everything possible to make sure the people do not lose sight of the real issues they face.

PM Modi has attacked our manifesto; we have sought an appointment with him, to explain what is actually written in the ‘Nyay Patra’ document. We’ve asked our leaders to send the Congress manifesto to PM Modi.

Our manifesto is our weapon, the five guarantees of Yuva Nyay [justice for the youth], Bhagidari Nyay [justice by way of participation and representation for every community], Mahila Nyay [justice for women], Kisan Nyay [justice for farmers] and Shramik Nyay [justice for workers].

Coming back to Kerala, why is Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan targeting Rahul Gandhi in his speeches?

The reason is clear: Pinarayi Vijayan knows that attacking Rahul Gandhi is a way to soften Modi. There are several cases against him and his daughter. He is afraid of ED (the Enforcement Directorate) and his unprincipled attacks on Rahul Gandhi are a way to try and escape the wrath of the central agencies. 

No other senior Communist leader is attacking Rahul Gandhi in this deplorable manner.

The Congress manifesto makes no mention of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and the LDF has been trying to make it an issue to woo Muslims. Why was it not included in the manifesto?

Both Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan are trying to distort the truth. The Congress stand on the CAA is absolutely clear: party MPs voted against the bill when it was introduced in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi categorically said in Assam that the Congress would never allow it. Even in Kozhikode last week [15 April], Rahul Gandhi said the Congress would not allow citizenship on the basis of religion.

Pinarayi Vijayan wants to turn a section of society against Rahul Gandhi, but the people [of Kerala] know that Rahul Gandhi is the most vehement critic of Modi’s BJP. They know he stands strong against Modi’s tactics, and Pinarayi Vijayan’s comments can’t tarnish him. The people’s verdict will prove this. 

In the 2021 Assembly polls, the LDF was able to use the CAA to consolidate minority votes. Can it work again?

It won’t work this time—not even a 0.1 per cent chance. They are using the CAA to draw a veil on their governance failures, but the people in the state have understood their strategy. 

The first phase of the election on 19 April saw the voting done and dusted for 102 seats. What is the mood in the Congress camp?

The country’s mood can be gauged from PM Modi’s speech in Rajasthan two days ago [21 April].

The Congress has done extremely well in the first phase, and so has the INDIA bloc.

People have left the Congress. They say there are five power centres in the party and their issues are not addressed. Comments?

There are two reasons people leave the Congress—they are either afraid of the investigative agencies and the BJP, or they are greedy for money and power.

These resignations won’t affect the Congress. When they leave the Congress, they are asked to make statements against the party. Earlier, the media would call them out, nowadays it glorifies defectors.

Is the Congress taking a risk by contesting only 300-odd seats and making so much space for INDIA allies?

Our aim is to consolidate the anti-BJP vote everywhere. We’ve had to make sacrifices. Some of it has hurt us, especially in Maharashtra. But our larger goal is to defeat the BJP.

How many seats do you think the Congress will win?

We will win comfortably. The INDIA bloc will form the government.