Kerala: 'LDF's defeat in Lok Sabha polls resulted from Chief Minister's arrogance', says CPI

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Jun 16, 2024, 1:43 PM IST

Criticism was directed at the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the state government during a Communist Party of India district council meeting, attributing the defeat to issues such as minority appeasement, alleged corruption involving the Chief Minister's daughter, and anti-incumbency sentiment.

Thiruvananthapuram: Criticism was vehemently voiced against the Chief Minister and the state government during the CPI district council meeting held on Sunday to review the Lok Sabha election outcomes. Attendees pointed out that the Chief Minister's perceived arrogance and the underperformance of cabinet ministers were cited as the main factors contributing to the electoral setback in the state.

Several leaders remarked that the strategy of overemphasizing minority appeasement had resulted in voters distancing themselves from the LDF. They highlighted concerns including financial mismanagement linked to the Nava Kerala Sabha, delays in distributing welfare pensions, and issues within Supplyco, which exacerbated the crisis.

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The CPI criticized the CPM, stating, "Public meetings of CPM had turned into religious gatherings. Even the Rajya Sabha seat candidate was selected from a minority group."

The electoral defeat was also attributed to allegations of corruption involving the Chief Minister's daughter, Veena Vijayan. Additionally, some participants argued that anti-incumbency sentiment significantly affected the outcome.

The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) faced a significant setback in Kerala, securing victory in only one seat, the Alathur SC-reserved constituency. Candidate K Radhakrishnan won the seat by defeating incumbent Congress MP Ramya Haridas with a margin of 20,111 votes. In 2019, the LDF also secured only one seat. In the current election cycle, K M Arif, their sole victor then, was defeated by Congress general secretary K C Venugopal in Alappuzha.

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