Congress MLA VD Satheesan does a RaGa, interviews CPM's Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac

Congress MLA VD Satheesan does a RaGa, interviews CPM's Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac
Congress MLA VD Satheesan interviews CPM's Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Dialogue with VDS, the YouTube channel of the Paravur MLA.

Amid all the nasty expressions of partisan politics Kerala is used to, the state got to see a glimpse of positive politics, much apt to the changing times, as an opposition legislator in Kerala interviewed the state finance minister for a video series the former launched recently.

A sense of consensus shared by V D Satheesan, MLA, and minister Thomas Isaac on the need to work together for a better tomorrow is visible all over the 35-minute video released on Dialogue with VDS, the YouTube channel of the Paravur MLA.

With this, Satheesan has emulated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose online interviews with noted economists, experts and industrialists during the COVID lockdown, have become huge hits.

Satheesan, Congress' voice in Kerala when it comes to public finance, and Isaac, known for his academic credentials in economics, have locked horns several times inside and outside the state assembly on a number of issues. However, the dialogue between the duo in the video was devoid of ideological rivalry, instead it showed both of them agreeing to each other on most of the topics they touched upon.

Satheesan, in a mild and suave manner, initiated the dialogue asking Isaac about the possibilities of the emergence of a post-COVID world. Isaac answered the question giving a historical context about the milestones in world economy and asserted that a post-COVID world is a reality indeed.

He cited the drastic growth in the use of technology and possible growth of BRICS nations as the potential features of such a world order. Isaac stressed that policies have to be formed by understanding the scopes of the changing world order.

To another question, Isaac said the pace of the growth of globalisation would slow down with the COVID crisis. He also said concerns of the workforce have to be addressed while more automation dominates industries.

Isaac said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stress on self-reliance in economic growth in the post-COVID world was nothing but a Nehruvian view though the prime minister did not mention the first PM's name for obvious political reasons.

Isaac also said the best way to help the poor was to spend more for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the UPA-era mass employment scheme.
Satheesan raised a critical question when he asked the finance minister whether the latter wished there should be a collective effort to ensure the growth of the state despite all political differences.

'Definitely', Isaac answered.

Interestingly, this was the only point where the dialogue touched upon some parliamentary politics.

Isaac said the cooperation between various political parties, despite ideological differences, was happening at the local body level whereas it was not the situation at the top level.

“It's a misconception that people would vote in the next assembly elections based on the current situations. The voting pattern will be influenced by the political developments during that time.” Satheesan agreed to it with a laughter.

Why the video?

VD Satheesan
Paravur MLA VD Satheesan

Satheesan said he decided to launch the video series as a learning experience. “The traditional ways of practising politics have to be changed. We need to have more dialogues for a constructive approach in politics these days,” the Congress leader said.

He said he decided to start the series with Isaac as he had a lot of respect to the latter for his immense knowledge in economics.

The next episodes will see Satheesan interacting with experts in various fields.

Watch dialogue with VDS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLoAonybiFc

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.