Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 9 -- Hindustan Times caught up with CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan in the state capital on the sidelines of the local body election campaign. Here are some excerpts from the interview: Voting patterns in the local body, Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are different. But in local body polls, results tend to come more in our favour. Our cadres and their day-to-day political activities are a core part of our party. The link between the organisation and the public is strong. Our politics is connected to the lives of people. Therefore, for CPI(M), finding candidates is not difficult. Other parties are unable to field candidates. For the LDF and particularly CPM, we often have an advantage in local body polls and this time, the situation is good for us. The areas under Kannur corporation have historically not been favourable for us. It's always been an anti-Communist area. In corporation elections, it often becomes a landslide against us. But this time, it is likely to change. We want to win back Kannur corporation and retain power in all five other corporations. LDF, UDF and BJP are in the fray. BJP has been claiming that it will capture power in the state. But it's misplaced. In 2024 LS polls in Thrissur and the 2016 Assembly polls in Nemom, the BJP won because of the shifting of Congress votes. Our vote base remained intact. So, BJP is not yet a major third force in the state. BJP is employing communal tactics to expand its base in the state. There is a danger of communal tensions. We need strong interventions to defeat both minority and majority communalism. BJP won a lot of seats in Thiruvananthapuram corporation last time, but they will not win so many this time. We will retain power. Yes, they are in jail. But we have adopted a strong stand, and there's nothing to hide. We have not asked anyone to steal anything. If they have done something wrong, the party will take action at an appropriate time. Neither of them are public representatives. Once the investigation concludes, we will take action at the right time. We cannot adopt a stand in response to each stage of the probe. Let them (police SIT) submit a charge sheet in court and then we will see. It is the media's campaign that the party will be in trouble if it doesn't take action. That's not what the public thinks. On the first day, I said that not an inch of the gold that belongs to Sabarimala must be lost. Anyone who has caused such a loss of gold must be brought before the law. We will not protect anyone. The party and the government will not interfere in the SIT probe. This is unlike the hawala case in which BJP leaders are accused. What happened to that case? It's disappeared. Not just the charge sheet, let everything come. We will evaluate and make a decision. The UDF has no campaign this time. That's the truth. With the sexual assault case against their MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, their campaign has fizzled out. UDF claimed there is an anti-incumbency sentiment in the state. It's not there at all. We have been in power for nine and a half years, and yet it's the opposition which is in the dock. An MLA is underground and he is being protected by the Congress. If he was not being protected, he would have been arrested. And now, Congress leaders are in the dock for defaming the complainant on social media. There are more victims out there. Congress leaders want to silence them and prevent them from coming out. It's an example of criminal conspiracy. There's nothing to say. I was wondering why they (ED) weren't sending a notice. Elections are near. How can CPM and BJP have an understanding? What about the National Herald case in which Rahul and Sonia Gandhi are accused? Is that part of Congress-BJP understanding? What logic is there? Congress alleges political witch-hunt only when their leaders are arrested. They did not say the same in Arvind Kejriwal's case. Congress is responsible for that defeat. They contested on a large number of seats and lost most of them. Last time also, it was the same. They don't even have candidates. If there is no proper organisational machinery, how will they win? It's not a question of Rahul Gandhi's leadership. The problem is their policy. They can't adopt a strong stand against the BJP. They want to be the big brother. They can't take along parties with them. In Delhi, they didn't take AAP along. That's not enough. Congress is a national party that's present across the state. It must rectify its weaknesses. We argue that it's not about who's the leader. Anti-BJP votes must not get split. If votes hadn't been split, we would have won Bihar. CM Pinarayi will lead the LDF campaign in the Assembly polls, no doubt. What happens after that will be decided at the time. There's no need to give hypothetical answers. Age is not a factor, it is about whether one is active enough to do the job. Is there any doubt about CM's ability? I don't think so....