Kerala: CPI(M) stunned by BJP surge in Kannur strongholds; Report

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Jun 7, 2024, 12:36 PM IST

CPM in Kannur is conducting an internal review to understand unexpected BJP support despite intensified anti-Sangh Parivar campaigns. Vote losses in traditionally secure booths, with some shifting to UDF and BJP, are concerning.

Kannur: The CPM is conducting an internal review in Kannur to understand the unexpected support for the BJP in party strongholds. Despite intensifying their anti-Sangh Parivar campaign and fielding the district secretary as a candidate, the CPM is surprised by the vote losses in traditionally secure booths.

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Despite denying any backlash, the CPM is stunned by the voting results in Kannur, where their votes have decreased, with some shifting to the UDF and BJP. The surprising flow of votes to the BJP is particularly troubling for the party. In traditionally CPM-dominated areas like Anthoor's revolutionary soil of Morazha, BJP votes surged from 79 in 2019 to 273 this time—more than tripling. This unexpected increase in BJP support has left the CPM searching for explanations.

In Pinarayi, where no BJP campaign boards or flags are displayed, the BJP garnered over 1,200 votes across twelve booths. In Pinarayi Panchayat, BJP votes increased significantly from 1,376 in 2019 to 2,715 this time. In Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's own booth, BJP votes more than doubled from 53 to 115. Additionally, the CPM's vote count has decreased in traditionally strong areas like Karivellur and Kalyasseri, which are part of the Kasaragod constituency. In a surprising turn of events, the BJP secured 172 votes in Kuniyan, the site of the historic Karivellur strike. This shift occurred even in booths where neither UDF nor BJP had polling agents, indicating a significant loss of left votes.

The CPM, which assumed its votes were secure when district secretaries ran for election, faced disappointment and fatigue as expected votes didn't materialize. Unlike previous years, there were no allegations of UDF buying BJP votes. The reliability of data provided by party sources is now questionable, prompting concerns about whether the era of automatic loyalty voting is over. Party leaders plan an in-depth review soon, starting with booth-level analyses.

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