Writer KR Meera campaigns for CPI(M)'s MB Rajesh, takes on VT Balram

Meera campaigning for Rajesh assumes significance as his rival candidate is Congress’s VT Balram.
Kerala Writer KR Meera in a maroon saree smiling for camera
Kerala Writer KR Meera in a maroon saree smiling for camera
Written by:

Noted Malayalam writer KR Meera on Sunday joined an election campaign meeting for CPI (M) Thrithala candidate MB Rajesh.

Meera spoke at an election meeting for Rajesh on April 4. The writer’s public gesture is particularly significant as Rajesh’s rival candidate is VT Balram of the Congress who had an ugly online spar with Meera in 2019 following the political murder of two Congress workers by 11 CPI(M) members in Kasaragod. After a volley of posts in which the two took on each other, things turned nasty when Balram used an abusive coinage at Meera. This in turn led to scores of Congress supporters descending on Meera's page and abusing her.

Balram is the sitting MLA of Thrithala who had won from this constituency in the Palakkad district. He has won from here twice, in 2011 and 2016.

Online spar between Congress MLA and KR Meera takes ugly turn, writer gets abused

“Rajesh ( a two time MP) was one of the most outstanding parliamentarians. There were not many who could raise the state’s issues so effectively in the Parliament as he did. But in the last ten years what kind of intervention has the MLA from Thrithala done in the Assembly? I can assure people about the kind of changes Rajesh can bring in Thrithala if he is elected, he has a vision on the projects to be done. We need people’s representatives who have a dream of what all to be done for his people. He is a people’s representative with whom I can dissent in a decent manner. This is particularly relevant when voices of dissent are absent in a country where an imperialistic rule is being attempted,” she said.

Meera is known as one of the most outstanding writers of her generation and is widely discussed for her short stories and novels.

“It’s a subject for thought why majority of writers are with the Left. There are two or three reasons why I desire for the LDF to be back to power. The most important reason is we have faced a pandemic and the second wave of the pandemic is on our door steps. Even if the second wave is mitigated, scientists had predicted months back that one more virus, one more pandemic would threaten the human race. In my experience and in my belief, I feel only the LDF leadership and its governing ability will be able to manage such situations,” Meera said.

Meera then told the audience that she believes the priority in a democracy is the protection of peoples’ lives, the rest comes after that only. 

"Hence, to protect the life and property of people, the choice before us, though limited, is that of LDF. If there had been a better choice I would have asked you people to go for it,” she said.

Meera also said that she had had a nagging fear whether people of India would get to vote in more elections. 

“The country is moving towards a situation in which it won't be even possible to utter words like secular, democracy, equal justice, equality ete. Only the LDF can prevent such a situation,” she said.

Meera also added that she believed there would be more media freedom under the LDF regime.

Listen to Meera's speech in the video

Related Stories

No stories found.
The News Minute
www.thenewsminute.com