Taking a cue from the Left, the Congress too has decided to launch a full-fledged television channel. JaiHind TV, the party’s 24x7 television news channel for Kerala, has been inspired by the CPI(M)-run Kairali TV network, which has three Malayalam channels.

Ramesh Chennithala, the man behind the move, has no qualms in admitting that the channel would be competing with the Kairali bouquet for political mindspace. “We will provide good content, our point of view. There is space for another channel and we are confident of breaking even in three years,” the KPCC chief said. The party hopes to launch the channel on August 17.

But that is not all. The Congress is also planning to replicate the model in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karanataka before moving to the Hindi heartland and West Bengal. But all the channels will be in regional languages. The party, it seems, does not think it necessary to get into the English language domain.

Though no exclusive Sonia Gandhi interview has been scheduled for Day 1, Chennithala said the AICC chief will very much be a part of the inaugural ceremony.

The party will hold a 51 per cent stake in the channel, while Dubai-based entrepreneur Aniyan Kutty—who has also launched a Chennai-based budget airline recently—will chip in with 26 per cent along with other pro-Congress NRIs.

But, at the launch of the channel’s national bureau and news studio in Delhi today, Defence Minister and former Kerala chief minister A K Antony treaded cautiously, saying, “It won’t be easy to sustain a full-fledged television channel, it requires money and manpower.”

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