‘Rahul is contesting against me. I am not fighting against him’

It is a tall task that Annie Raja the general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women has taken on as the Communist Party of India CPI candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency against Congress partyrsquos Rahul Gandhi She is a member of the CPIrsquos national executive and the wife of party general secretary D RajaExcerpts from the interviewYou are standing against Rahul Gandhi of the Congress the sitting MP What are the issues that Gandhi has not solved for the people of WayanadYou see first of all Rahul Gandhi is contesting against me and it is not I who is contesting against him The LDF announced the 20 candidates for all the 20 constituencies ahead of the election schedule based on the fact that I came here to Wayanad on March 1 The contest here is between LDF and UDF UDF much later decided on Gandhi and he came here That means Rahul Gandhi is contesting against me I am not fighting against himLocals meeting Annie during her campaignThat is unfairYou see this is a democracy and anyone can contest from any constituency However the current political situation in this country has put our democracy secularism and Constitution in danger because of the Sangh Parivar and the fascist government That is the biggest danger the country is facing We are fighting against it The movement of the INDIA bloc is also to address these issues and defeat these Marxist forces Despite that Rahul has come to Kerala to fight against the Left The Left is in the forefront of all these fights and our leaders and cadres are facing a lot of cases against our fight against fascist forces In the larger interests of the people and country Rahul contesting elections shows the political bankruptcy of the CongressRahul secured 647 per cent vote share from Wayanad while CPI candidate P P Suneer came second securing 251 per cent votes How do you see the fortunes turn for the party with you as the candidate this timeBefore Wayanad Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi His decision to contest here reflects not just majority support but also how people perceive candidates and their stances In a democracy voters decide based on performance and alignment with their aspirations not just previous margins of victory Once an election is declared there are only standing MPs and no sitting MPs No one has given a constituency to the winner for generations togetherNationally the Left and Congress are part of the INDIA bloc Is it not confusing for voters in Wayanad that yoursquore contesting against each otherVoters in Wayanad are not confused During my time here theyrsquove asked if Irsquoll be like Rahul Gandhi They explain that while the UDF projected him as prime minister they voted for him as an individual not just his party symbol Despite this their needs were overlooked in Parliament When confidence in a candidate wanes voters seek alternativesAnnie Rajas rally vehicle was illuminated with series lightingCould this situation have been avoidedCertainly Rahul a national leader of the Congress and part of the INDIA bloc could have foreseen that contesting from Wayanad would be exploited by the BJP NDA and especially the PM He could have opted not to contest against the Left but chose to do so challenging the CPI in Kerala If Rahulrsquos aim was simply to secure a seat he could have contested from Tamil Nadu Karnataka or Telangana Congress only won seats in Telangana through a tieup with the Left However he chose to contest against the CPI in WayanadWhy has the party decided to pit you against Rahul GandhiIrsquom a disciplined party cadre chosen to contest in Wayanad as part of the Left Frontrsquos allocation of seats in Kerala Over the past 40 years Irsquove diligently carried out party responsibilities in various regionsWild animal attacks on humans are increasing in this constituency You have said the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 needs to be amended How will that helpIncreasing humananimal conflicts are causing harm to both people and vegetation The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 needs amending to address this With rising numbers of wild animals including tigers and elephants encroaching from neighbouring states coupled with climate change impacts and water scarcity urgent action is needed Additionally the persisting night travel ban from Karnataka is adversely affecting Wayanadrsquos economy hindering trade and development Rahul Gandhi could have intervened to resolve this issue at a lower administrative levelAnnie Raja interacting with locals ahead of voting in KeralaWhat are your promises for the voters if you winAns If elected I promise to stand by the people of the constituency Addressing the humananimal conflict is crucial and the Left government is taking steps within its legal boundaries However to find a lasting solution we must amend the Wildlife Act of 1972 considering the changing climate and increasing animal populations This issue extends beyond Wayanad and requires nationwide attention I am confident in my ability to persuade MPs to support this amendment Additionally I will advocate for the completion of crucial infrastructure projects like the NilamburNanjangud railway lineHow familiar are you with Wayanad and the votersrsquo issuesI hail from Kannur bordering Wayanad Having experienced the challenges of mananimal conflicts firsthand I understand the local issues deeply From a young age Irsquove been involved in student movements and womenrsquos organizations serving as an organisational secretary for multiple districts With 35 years of grassroots experience Irsquom familiar with every panchayat in Wayanad My life mirrors that of the people here sharing their struggles and aspirationsWhat changes have you noticed here over the yearsWhile Wayanad and Kerala have seen significant development some projects like railways have lagged The responsibility for rail projects rests with the Central Ministry of Railways Additionally the humananimal conflict poses a grave threat damaging both lives and vegetationAnnie Raja said her life mirrors that of people in WayanadThe PM has predicted a doubledigit win in Kerala for BJPScoffs I think he PM should bother about single digits He is a man who boasts This Kerala is a land of democracy and secularismWill the BJPrsquos wellknown candidates lead to more victories in KeralaThe Left has its own experienced leaders Am I not wellknown All 20 Kerala constituencies feature reputable candidates Shailaja teacher managed Nippa Virus and COVID19 well Shashi Tharoor is prominent Suresh Gopi a former Rajya Sabha MP is also familiarWhat advice do you have for young and firsttime voters in WayanadConsider the past UDF has held power for three terms yet Wayanadrsquos issues persist To foster development vote for the Left They uphold democracy and secularism vital for our nation My advice is to prioritise these values Irsquom here to win confident that voters spanning generations support my campaign