Rahul left 'Wayanad family' for Raebareli, people won't fall for it again, says LDF's Sathyan Mokeri as bypoll campaign heats up

As Sathyan Mokeri, the LDF's pick for Wayanad bypoll, speaks to DH's Arjun Raghunath from the campaign trail, the 71-year-old exudes confidence that his experience as a three time legislator and accessibility would factor in the polls.

Senior CPI leader Sathyan Mokeri is the Left-front's pick for Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll this time to take on UDF's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and BJP's Navya Haridas, the two women who are naive to the electoral politics.

As he speaks to DH's Arjun Raghunath from the campaign trail of Wayanad, the 71-year-old exudes confidence that his experience as a three time legislator and accessibility would factor in the polls.

Mokeri, who lost the Wayanad LS election by around 20,000 votes in 2014, says that the people of Wayanad won't again fall for the fake promises of the Congress and are looking for a change. He is also strongly flaying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for leaving his 'Wayanad family' and questioning BJP if it is serious at all in its fight from Wayanad this time.

How confident are you in taking on Congress top leader Priyanka Gandhi?

In 2019, Rahul Gandhi was projected as the future prime minister and in 2024 he managed to woo the voters by telling them that Wayanad was his family. Why couldn't he quit Raebareli and retain Wayanad if there was genuineness in saying that Wayanad was his family. Now, people of Wayanad understood it and they won't vote for Priyanka Gandhi. People, especially youngsters, are eager to have a change.

How do you see Rahul's tenure as Wayanad MP?

Rahul did not address key issues like night traffic ban along Bandipur even as the Congress came to power in Karnataka and his nominee is the chief minister. He could have made the Karnataka government change their stand in the Supreme Court on the matter.

Did Rahul do anything to address man-animal conflict? I don't think Rahul even gave one representation for Nilambur–Nanjangud railway that could help in massive development. If he did anything on such issues, the Congress should publicise the evidence.

Now Priyanka is highlighting the lack of medical infrastructure here. But it was the LDF government that started the medical college here and the facilities for it are being set up.

Rahul's resignation led to the absence of a MP for Wayanad when the massive landslide happened and hence, the demand for central assistance for rehabilitating the landslide-hit people couldn't be taken up effectively.

Won't the anti-incumbency against the LDF government affect your chances?

Though it is a Parliament election, the Congress is trying to highlight the allegations against the LDF government. The LDF will, however, counter it politically by highlighting its achievements.

Do you see a fight from the BJP?

In the last general elections, BJP fielded party state president K Surendran stating that they are giving a serious fight to Rahul Gandhi. But now they are fielding a candidate (Navya Haridas) who is not familiar to the people of Wayanad and not a senior leader. Does that mean that the BJP themselves is not serious now?

Your key opponents are women who are younger to you when compared to your seniority in politics. Is that a problem for you?

What matters is not gender or age, but accessibility to the people and ability to understand their issues and take up the matters. Compared to Priyanka and Navya, I have more experience as a politician. I think Priyanka will not be able to make herself available in the constituency even for the little duration that Rahul was available here.

BJP is campaigning that both UDF and LDF are part of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. How are you countering it?

I.N.D.I.A. was formed to counter the fascist forces that are more prevalent in the Hindi belts of the north. Such criticisms have no relevance in Kerala where the fascists forces were unable to make much influence so far.