The party has promptly initiated steps aimed at identifying the causes that led to the erosion of its core vote base in the Lok Sabha elections and addressing the problems arising therefrom. As a first step, the party functionaries are being communicated, through zonal meetings addressed by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat, the areas where the correctives should be applied. The meetings are meant to convey the party central committee’s reviews of the Lok Sabha election results after examining the reports presented by various State committees. A meeting covering the districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram and Palakkad was held in Kozhikode recently.

The crux of the central committee’s message is that efforts should be made to regain the trust of the people, including the core constituency of the working class. The CPI(M) general secretary candidly admitted that there was “some dissatisfaction” among the people because of “certain conditions”. He was referring to the financial crisis the LDF Government is facing, mainly because of the financial embargo slapped by the Union Government. Despite being among the states with the highest revenue collection, the State had to move the Supreme Court to get relief in terms of funds from the Centre.

Yechury also underlined the utmost and urgent need to address the increase in the vote share of the BJP in the State. These are being examined, Yechury said, adding that areas needing corrective measures have been identified.

The State Committee in its analysis of the electoral performance has attributed the party’s poor performance to the State’s inability to make timely payment of social security pensions and sparse availability of essential commodities at Supplyco stores, among other reasons.

The CPI(M) also needs to look into the criticism from within the LDF alliance over the alleged symbiotic association of its political elite with organized crime in Kannur district. In a statement, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam referred to reports of rapacious criminals posing as protectors of the Left movement, resorting to violent crimes for profit. This has resulted in erosion of public confidence in the LDF to some extent. Viswam’s criticism has come against the backdrop of revelations by former CPI(M) insider Manu Thomas’s allegation that Kannur strongman P. Jayarajan and his son Jain Rajan shared a symbiotic association with criminal gangs and ran the party as their fiefdom. Both the leaders have since signalled their intent to sue Thomas for libel. CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan also lent strong support to Jayarajan rebutting the criticism against him.

In a prompt move to blunt the edge of the criticism in this connection, the CPI(M) has expelled one Sajesh who belongs to Kannur district, from the party’s primary membership. The decision signals the CPI(M)’s determination to rid its ranks of criminal profiteers who have given the party a bad name.

In another decision which has been welcomed by one and all, the Government has taken disciplinary action against Kannur police and Viyyur prison officials who allegedly initiated a process to grant remission for lifers serving time for assassinating Revolutionary Marxist Party(RMP) leader T P Chandrasekharan in 2012. The decision has taken the wind out of the sails of the Opposition which sought to exploit the issue to score political brownie points. The Government also transferred a police officer, who as part of the remission procedure, contacted RMP leader K K Rema to gauge her disposition to granting amnesty to her husband’s killers.

The CPI(M) has also stressed the paramount need to strengthen the fight against the Hindutva forces, which have managed to make inroads into the votes of secular parties in the State. The Central Committee, in its review of the party’s show in the Lok Sabha polls, has noted that there has been erosion in the “traditional base in several constituencies to the BJP”. The CC also criticized the “growing instances of corruption in the panchayats, cooperative institutions and at various other levels”. It said that must be checked and strictly curbed. “Instances of arrogant behavior of cadres from top to bottom are alienating the people from the party. The importance of rectification to eliminate wrong trends and behavior must be undertaken in a planned manner,” the review averred.

The review also voiced grave concern over the fact that the LDF’s vote share has come down by 1.75 percentage points. The decline has been sharper over a decade. In 2014, the LDF had 40.2 and in 2024, it has come down by seven percentage points.

The most disturbing feature of the election results is the erosion of the party’s traditional base in several constituencies to the BJP. While the main reason for the BJP’s victory in Thrissur is the vote it got from the Congress base and a section of the Christians, it is also a fact that some of the party’s voting base has gone to the BJP in several places. For instance, in Alappuzha and Attingal constituencies, the BJP increased its vote share in a big way, causing consternation in the Left camp.

No wonder, the CPI(M) and the LDF have laid accent on the need to undo the damage caused by the march of Hindutva forces in Kerala. It is a daunting task. But the CPI(M)-led LDF has the strength of will and tenacity of purpose to halt the Hindutva march in the secular state. Remember, the LDF managed to close the account the BJP opened in the State Assembly with lightning speed. (IPA Service)