PINARAYI VIJAYAN
Kerala chief minister
KERALA
Vijayan, they said, was “the captain” who successfully steered the state through crises—cyclone, floods, the pandemic, and so on. Critics sneered that it was against Marxist principles to promote a cult of personality.
That Vijayan played a pivotal role in the CPI(M) retaining power in Kerala is undeniable. Now, in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, too, the CPI(M) is relying on him to help the party avert the risk of losing its status as a national party. The CPI(M) needs to win at least 2 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha (11 seats) from three states to retain its iconic hammer, sickle and star symbol in 2026. Hopes rest heavily on Kerala, the party’s last bastion in the country.
The state’s electoral dynamics poses a challenge, though. The CPI(M)’s primary opponent in Kerala, the Congress, is also its national alliance partner. There is a direct fight between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front in all 20 seats in the state. This means Vijayan and the LDF must strike a balance in opposing the BJP and the Congress.
In an extensive email interview with THE WEEK, Vijayan spoke about issues ranging from the CPI(M)’s political strategy in and outside Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad, and the Union government’s “misusing” of investigative agencies. Excerpts:
Q/ Your party is part of a coalition that aims to bring down the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre. How do you strike a balance between criticising the Congress in Kerala and allying with it at the national level?
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin April 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye THE WEEK India dergisinin April 28, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
