Left without power nationwide for the first time since 1977

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Kerala’s voters on Monday rejected the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front’s bid to return for a third consecutive term with the alliance winning only 35 out of 140 seats in the state— its worst performance in over four decades. Left without power nationwide for the first time since 1977The results mean that the Left front will not be in power in any Indian state, a first since 1977. After losing power in West Bengal in 2011, it suffered a setback in Tripura in 2018. Meanwhile, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sent his letter of resignation as chief minister to state governor Rajendra Arlekar, a person familiar with the matter confirmed. The LDF, which began its current stint in power in 2016 with wins in 91 out of 140 seats, repeated the feat in 2021 with a larger mandate of 99 seats. The victory marked the first time a state government was re-elected in four decades, and was largely built on the LDF ‘s ability to expand its social base beyond its core Hindu vote base to include Muslims and Christians, its robust social welfare plank and Vijayan’s image as a tough and effective administrator. Five years later, LDF’s campaign to continue building a “Nava Keralam” (new Kerala) under Vijayan, failed to find ground with large sections of voters. The middle-class’s dissatisfaction over rising inflation and unemployment among educated youth, along with the allegations of senior CPI(M) leaders being involved in the gold theft case concerning the Lord Ayyapa temple at Sabarimala, as well as perceptions of the party leadership straying from core principles, are seen as having contributed to the defeat. Vijayan’s performance in Dharmadam constituency in Kannur district served to reflect the public sentiment. Although he eventually won by a margin of 19,247 votes, the first seven rounds of counting witnessed him trailing behind a younger Congress rival, VP Abdul Rasheed. The winning margin was a sharp drop-off from Vijayan’s 2021 winning margin of over 50,000 voters. Thirteen of 19 ministers in the state cabinet suffered defeat. Three of the four CPI ministers — K Rajan, P Prasad and GR Anil — went on to win, alongside public works minister PA Mohammed Riyas in Beypore and culture and fisheries minister Saj Cheriyan in Chengannur. The LDF’s loss was exacerbated by its defeats in strongholds in districts like Kannur and Alappuzha. Former CPI(M) minister G Sudhakaran, who contested as a UDF-backed rebel in Ambalappuzha, defeated the official party nominee H Salam by 27,935 votes. In its pocket boroughs of Payyannur and Taliparamba, two seats where it has not lost since 1977, CPI(M) candidates were defeated by its rebels V Kunhikrishnan and TK Govindan respectively. “The LDF’s defeat in the Assembly polls is unexpected. The party accepts the verdict and promises to take measures to correct possible mistakes,” the CPI(M) state secretariat said in a statement. J Prabhash, former political science professor at Kerala University, said, “The defeat boils down to the internal churning within the CPI(M) and the LDF against the way Pinarayi Vijayan has been leading the party and the government. He has led both in an un-communist way. The party and the government have been reduced to a coterie. Vijayan himself became the party and the government and centralised power... If the CPI(M) understands this, corrects mistakes, it can come back. Vijayan has done tremendous damage to the CPI(M) by preventing a second rung of leadership from emerging.” Vishnu Varma is Assistant Editor and reports from Kerala for the Hindustan Times. He has 10 years of experience writing for print and digital platforms and has worked at The New York Times, NDTV and The Indian Express in the past. He specialises in longform reportage at the intersections of politics, crime, social commentary and environment.Read More