Congress a divided house in Kerala, has no leader to match stature of Pinarayi Vijayan: K.V. Thomas Premium

K.V. Thomas discusses Kerala's political landscape, financial challenges, and the prospects for the Left ahead of Assembly elections.

Nearly four years after joining hands with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], former senior Congress leader K.V. Thomas, who has been Kerala’s Special Representative with Cabinet rank in New Delhi, speaks to The Hindu on a range of developmental and political issues that are likely to be keenly discussed ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Kerala.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

How satisfied are you with the duties assigned to you during the last four years?

I was appointed as Kerala’s Special Representative in New Delhi at a time when Centre-State relations, especially with non-BJP-ruled States, had hit a new low, with the Centre brazenly undermining the federal structure. However, Kerala was able to successfully liaise with various Union Ministries in implementing infrastructure development projects, including national highway development in Kerala. Nevertheless, some projects are still pending, including the proposed semi-high-speed rail project and an AIIMS. The State has also been pushed to the brink of a financial crisis for political reasons.

Kerala is heading for an Assembly election. How likely is a third term for the Left government in the present milieu?

I was with the Congress for decades and have actively engaged with different political parties at the State and Central levels over the years. From my experience, there is no leader in the Opposition ranks in Kerala who matches the stature of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The Congress in Kerala is a divided house, and the Congress High Command has little control over developments in the State. Moreover, after (AICC general secretary) K.C. Venugopal was elevated to party affairs in Delhi, the High Command has been unable to effectively address organisational issues in Kerala. Hence, there is a good chance for the Left to return to power if the Left Democratic Front is led by Mr. Vijayan.