Thrissur: Accountable residents will assess and analyse the efficiency of their native sitting MP earlier than casting poll, Left Democratic Entrance’s Wayanad candidate Annie Raja has mentioned.
The Congress must also take into consideration its good points combating towards the Left events provided that the nation is “facing fascist forces who have encroached on all the pillars of Indian democracy”, she mentioned in an interview Wednesday with ThePrint, a day after the Communist Occasion of India (CPI) introduced her candidature from Wayanad parliamentary constituency.
Rahul Gandhi is the MP from Wayanad in Kerala, the place the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Entrance (UDF) are rivals in state politics because the Nineteen Eighties. On the similar time, the Congress and the Left events are a part of the INDIA bloc.
“Those who are elected are the people’s representatives. It means that the representative should be with people in all situations. And it’s not the charity of the representative, but the rights of the people of the constituency. Whether they voted in favour or against, once after getting elected, it’s the entire constituency’s right to have a representative. So people will analyse and assess and they will vote accordingly. Responsible citizens will do that and our voters are very responsible,” Raja mentioned.
The CPI, an ally of the CPI(M)-led LDF, was allotted 4 out of the 20 parliamentary seats in Kerala. Aside from Raja, the opposite three candidates are senior chief Pannyan Raveendran (Thiruvananthapuram), former agricultural minister Sunil Kumar (Thrissur), and CA Arun Kumar (Mavelikkara).
In 2019, the UDF gained 19 seats, together with Wayanad, in Kerala, benefiting from the anti-incumbency wave following the Sabaramila protests. Gandhi defeated CPI’s P.P. Suneer by a margin of 4 lakh-plus votes. The Congress is but to announce its candidate for the upcoming polls.
“The Left parties have a position that India is facing fascist danger and all the pillars of Indian democracy are encroached upon by the fascist forces and that we are on the verge of collapse. At this point, we need to bring together the democratic and secular forces together to save this country. That is the Left’s position — and I am sure that the Congress is also saying that. So when the Congress or its national leaders are contesting against the Left parties, what are they going to gain?” Raja mentioned.
Rahul Gandhi ought to realise the significance of this election, she mentioned, whereas referring to fellow Left colleague and senior CPI(M) chief Brinda Karat’s assertion that Gandhi ought to rethink contesting from Wayanad.
She added that the Congress is an unbiased celebration and that it’s their prerogative to determine the candidates and seats however the bigger query needs to be saved in thoughts.
The CPI chief asserted that the INDIA bloc goals to carry all of the democratic and secular forces collectively however the alliances can be created primarily based on the native scenario in every state. She added that the political events had been clear about sustaining the electoral mixture of Kerala, which has been LDF versus UDF for a very long time.
“Kerala has an entirely different, well-settled; one can say that almost very well-settled, two combinations: LDF and UDF. Even at the formative stage of the INDIA bloc and subsequent meetings, we have made it clear to all the parties. That in Kerala, this is the combination and that will continue.”
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‘Not new to Wayanad’
Speaking about her familiarity with Wayanad, Raja mentioned she has been to each panchayat there as a part of celebration actions. The Nationwide Federation of Indian Girls basic secretary added that she first held the crimson flag in third commonplace and continues to take action.
“When I was young and a student, I was in the AISF (All India Students’ Federation). And then when I was still a student, the party asked me to take the responsibility of Kerala Mahila Sangham’s Kannur district secretary. So I started that, though I was not at all aware of the gender question, gender equality, and feminism. But the party asked me to take up that responsibility, and as a disciplined party cadre, I took that responsibility.”
Raja added because the Sangham secretary, she was given the duty of 4 northern districts together with Wayanad and met folks in every village, particularly girls.
“I was very frequently going to Wayanad…even for the student federation’s programme or Mahila Sangham’s programmes. I have visited every mandal or every panchayat in Wayanad and the only difference is that at that time, I was Annie Thomas and now I am Annie Raja. Nothing new for me other than that. I was very much there, going to the villages and meeting people, particularly women. If it’s students meeting, it’s students and their parents.”
From her residence in Aralam panchayat, she mentioned, Wayanad is hardly an hour away.
“Like, Kannur Wayanad also helped me learn the basics of politics.” she mentioned.
“I am in the communist party and I am one of the members of the national executive. I am the general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women. I have an identity of my own,” she mentioned, including that the celebration had given her plenty of duty prior to now and that Wayanad is a special duty.
‘Do-or-die situation’
Raja mentioned her marketing campaign would focus extra on the nationwide points because the nation is going through a ‘do-or-die- situation due to the ‘extent of encroachment’ that fascists forces have into the socio-political and economical lives of the folks. She mentioned the RSS-BJP and the company mixed is a ‘double-edged sword’.
“When we say that we will defeat the forces, that will also mean saving the Constitution and its values and right to live with dignity. If that is to be saved, you will have to find a solution to the unemployment problem, provide education. You will have to have a decent life and equality irrespective of caste, gender, everything,” the CPI chief mentioned, including that she would additionally increase the native problems with Wayanad throughout her ballot marketing campaign.
She additionally touched upon the dwindling electoral good points of the communist events, saying the celebration was actively concerned in taking on folks’s points in virtually all states.
“We are carrying out huge demonstrations and struggles. We are also puzzled by that (low electoral gains) and, at times, wonder given that people join us in the struggles,” she mentioned.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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