Pushing 82, Mr. Mani, fashionable arsenic Mani aashan, was billed to contention from Udumbanchola, which has been represented by him for the last 2 terms, but the Left Democratic Front (LDF) brought backmost K.K. Jayachandran, who represented it from 2001 to 2016, to retain the seat. Mr. Mani predicts a resounding 3rd consecutive word for the LDF successful the Assembly with implicit 100 seats. As for the Idukki district, helium says the Left volition amended its tally from the contiguous four to each five.

He is blessed and contented that helium has been capable to live up to the roles assigned to him by the enactment from clip to time. “I served arsenic an MLA for 10 years and a Minister for five. I person nary tendency to contention again; Ten years is much than enough. As Electricity Minister, I was capable to implement 100% electrification successful Kerala. We adjacent brought powerfulness to Edamalakkudy, the State’s archetypal tribal panchayat, an arduous task that required laying cables to a precise distant settlement. I americium blessed to discontinue with my pension,” he told The Hindu successful an interview.
Excerpts below:
In this election, several rebel CPI(M) leaders are contesting against the party. In Devikulam, S. Rajendran is contesting arsenic a BJP candidate, and erstwhile curate G. Sudhakaran is contesting arsenic a Congress-supported independent. How bash you presumption this?
The CPI(M) gave S. Rajendran each opportunity. The enactment made him MLA thrice after helium was made the District Panchayat President. Despite this, helium demanded different term, which the enactment denied. We were alert that helium would suffer different term. What helium is doing present smacks of ingratitude and maleficence.
S. Rajendran claims that Tamil-speaking leaders are being sidelined wrong the CPI(M). Is determination immoderate truth in this?
Unethical and false. To represent the Tamil colonisation successful Munnar, our party has regularly fielded Tamil candidates for cardinal posts. Several precocious Tamil stalwarts, specified as Sundaramanickam and V. Varadan, held precocious positions successful the party. The world is that successful the Devikulam constituency, Malayalis, not Tamils, make up the bulk of voters. Rajendran is simply levelling baseless allegations.
Another elder leader, G. Sudhakaran, is contesting arsenic an autarkic in Ambalapuzha. What is your instrumentality connected his move?
I presumption G. Sudhakaran’s determination arsenic an enactment of utmost arrogance and betrayal. The enactment bestowed every possible position upon him implicit the decades.
You have travelled to the five constituencies successful Idukki territory for campaigning. What is the consciousness that you are getting from the ground?
The LDF will retain its 4 existing seats: Peerumade, Udumbanchola, Devikulam, and Idukki. We are besides aiming to win Thodupuzha. I ne'er saw P.J. Joseph successful the Assembly during his tenure; helium was warring mediocre health, but helium has present handed implicit the spot to his son. If the voters of Thodupuzha are sensible, they volition not allow his son to win.
Increasing chaotic carnal attacks is a large interest successful Idukki. Has the govt done enough to code this issue?
I would accidental human safety indispensable travel first. Human beingness indispensable instrumentality precedence implicit each else. If the interventions of the Forest, Revenue, and Police departments fail, past chaotic animals posing a deadly menace to humans should beryllium changeable and killed without hesitation.
Is the LDF apt to unafraid a 3rd consecutive term?
The LDF will retain power with implicit 100 seats, portion the BJP volition people a zero. The Congress has mislaid its credibility, essentially allowing the BJP to predominate the country. The LDF is the only viable option for the radical of Kerala. The communicative that number communities are turning against the Left is thing much than “false propaganda” driven by definite media outlets.
You are very active on societal media, with your ‘thug’ repartees often going viral. Who handles your account?
I person nary PR team. I lone person 1 adjunct who has been with maine for 10 years. My posts travel straight from my ain observations. I watch the issues keenly and intervene connected societal media personally. I don’t need a PR squad to bash that.

2 months ago
1





