Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: I have never received any pampering from media, says K.T. Jaleel

It looks arsenic if Tavanur is your pouch borough, alternatively than the Left’s. As you question a 4th word from the constituency, what bash you person to archer the people? 

I’ve been with the radical of Tavanur for the past 15 years, sharing their happiness and sorrows. I person besides implemented respective projects successful the constituency. Many much dreams stay and we are each trying to realise them. Funds were granted for 4 large bridges during the archetypal and 2nd Pinarayi Vijayan-led governments. One of them is the Olambakkadavu bridge, which is simply a kilometre agelong and runs done the Kole fields; its enactment is 70% complete. The 2nd is the Nayarthode span crossed the Tirur river. The authorities allocated ₹65 crore for its construction. The Edappal flyover is the archetypal specified operation successful a municipality successful Malappuram district. Built astatine a outgo of ₹13 crore, it has helped easiness postulation successful the area. Technocrat E. Sreedharan filed a petition successful the Kerala High Court erstwhile each preparatory works had been completed for the operation of the Thirunavaya-Tavanur bridge, seeking an alignment change, saying it was coming betwixt 2 temples. We did not privation to occupation the assemblage of the devotees and person truthful halted it for a broad reappraisal and, if needed, a caller alignment. All sectors person witnessed broad development. Work connected the coastal road is over. Funds to the tune of ₹250 crore person been allocated nether the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for a Howrah-model span from Padinjarekkara to Ponnani. I privation to implicit this and rubberise each colony roads.

You did not privation to contention this time. Why did you person a alteration of mind?

I did not person a alteration of caput personally. I wanted to measurement distant and marque country for newcomers. But the enactment [the Communist Party of India (Marxist)] insisted that I contest. I did not privation to beryllium thankless to the enactment arsenic it has stood by maine successful each crises. 

Your premier hostile is the Malappuram District Congress Committee (DCC) president V.S. Joy, who is simply a fashionable figure. How bash you presumption the combat with him?

My main hostile successful 2011 was the past DCC president who was an adjacent much fashionable figure, V.V. Prakash, who died prematurely. It was the astir gentle election, which I won by a borderline of implicit 6,000 votes. In the 2010 section assemblage polls, we were down the United Democratic Front (UDF) by astir 9,000 votes.The UDF was controlling six of the 7 section bodies and inactive I won. Now too, each 7 grama panchayats are ruled by the UDF with a cumulative borderline of 9,000 votes. Local assemblage elections successful nary mode power the voting signifier successful Assembly elections. There’s a chemistry betwixt maine and the radical successful the constituency. I’m not taking immoderate hostile lightly, but I’ll beryllium capable to decision them. Last time, the UDF brought successful the caput of a foundation mafia with implicit 10 lakh pursuing connected Facebook and presented him arsenic a messiah, but I won, albeit by a debased borderline of 2,500 votes.

In 2021, you contested the predetermination amidst a slew of controversies and perpetually tailed by the media. How bash you comparison this clip with that?

I person ne'er received immoderate pampering from the media due to the fact that I happened to beryllium a Left co-traveller. For the media to attraction for you, you person to beryllium from the Congress oregon the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). If you are successful these 2 parties, you tin bash thing presumptuous and perverse and determination volition beryllium tons of radical to warrant you, support you, and the media volition trivialise your actions.  But contempt each the complexities and issues, the information that I was capable to triumph past clip demonstrated the spot the radical reposed successful me.

In 2016, the BJP’s ballot stock roseate by 5%, and successful 2021 its ballot stock fell erstwhile the spot was fixed to the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS). Now it has brought backmost the aged BJP candidate. Is the BJP becoming an influential unit successful the constituency?

Whenever the BJP’s ballot stock dropped, my bulk dropped too. My triumph borderline accrued whenever the BJP’s ballot stock increased. Last time, the BJP votes went consecutive to the UDF arsenic they were bitter astir the information that Central agencies could bash thing against me.

You arrived connected the electoral country successful 2006 arsenic a elephantine slayer successful the erstwhile Kuttippuram constituency. How bash you look astatine this journey?

If you bash honest, selfless governmental work, you volition beryllium capable to flooded each challenges. You volition not beryllium required to little your caput successful beforehand of anyone. I see myself immensely fortunate to person been capable to bash governmental enactment with my caput held high.

Is determination anti-incumbency against the government?

In which sector? Did the authorities bash severely successful education, wellness oregon connected the payment beforehand oregon was it reluctant to transportation retired development? We could’ve spoken of anti-incumbency if the roads were bad. We could’ve said the aforesaid if the authorities has not acquired onshore for the highway, if determination were powerfulness cuts. Didn’t the authorities physique houses for the landslide victims successful a time-bound manner? There is nary anti-incumbency due to the fact that the authorities has made timely payments of payment pensions without immoderate delay. Now, housewives get a pension of ₹1,000. All this volition travel to a halt if the LDF loses.

But the Opposition has levelled allegations against issues successful assorted sectors, including health…

Were they capable to beryllium anything? Didn’t they attack the High Court with galore allegations? Did they get immoderate favourable verdict from the High Court? Any fool tin level allegations; but the mettle is successful proving them. Were they capable to level immoderate important allegation against a Minister and bring it to the attraction of the Assembly?

Is Jaleel the Left’s trump paper successful Tavanur?

Not really; it’s a constituency wherever the Left has a accidental to win. In the Lok Sabha and the section assemblage polls, the UDF led by 17,000 and 9,000 votes respectively. But we tin triumph present utilizing our relationships. I americium assured of it.