‘Tharoor may have his own opinion, but it should be in line with party'
As the new UDF convener, what are your priorities ahead of two decisive elections?
The primary responsibility is to strengthen UDF by working closely with various social groups. In the 2025 local body elections as well as the 2026 assembly polls, I have to bring UDF into power. Priority is to resolve existing issues and move ahead. We will break the media propaganda of a third Pinarayi Vijayan government.
Prospects of a third LDF government gather momentum due to UDF's internal weakness...
The KPCC reorganisation was carried out to strengthen the Congress. When we complete our task, you will find out that there is no truth in such propaganda. As an immediate plan, I'll try to bring everyone together.
It's said Anto Antony's affinity with the Pentecostal Church cost him the KPCC president post. Is it so?
I don't know.
What was the compulsion for the Congress to appoint a Christian as KPCC president?
The decision was not mine (smiles).
We are asking your opinion as a Congress leader…
The Congress party has a larger perspective on how to move forward. On the basis of that perspective, people are chosen to lead the party. It isn't mandatory that a leader from the Christian community must be the KPCC president. Until now, KPCC presidents were from the Ezhava community.
Was the leadership change a necessity in KPCC?
AICC found out that organisational work wasn't going too well in the state. Based on AICC's report, a proposal was made that some changes be brought in the state party organisation. We weren't the ones who demanded a change.
While leader of opposition (V D Satheesan) hasn't been changed, the KPCC president ( K Sudhakaran) who led the Congress to victory in bypolls was shown the door. Is it fair?
I'm not the person to answer that. All of us accept decisions taken by the AICC. I wasn't aware of the decision earlier.
Sudhakaran had said that certain crooked leaders are behind the change. Hope you are not among them…
(Smiles) He won't say that about me. I don't have any guesses on who they are.
You were among the probables for the KPCC president post. But a former president is said to have written to the high command that you are a bar owner, which scuttled your chances…
You should ask the leader who you believe has written the letter. If some leader said that, it was immature. I started party work in 1970 as a KSU worker and came up through different positions. I wasn't an armchair politician but a partyman who worked hard.
Has the fact that you are a bar owner ever posed a hurdle in your political career?
My family had the bar even before I joined the KSU. But I have never slept on the street drunk. There are many people who have such a history. I don't wish to go into the details.
There's a general perception that running a bar isn't a respectable profession…
I have a question for them... a lot of bar licences have been given over the past few years. Those who argued vociferously and led strikes are now silent. Why is that?
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