Although the CPI(M) leaders are trying to put up a brave front, their body language betrays the increasing sense of panic. The wrinkles of worry on the left foreheads have increased; and there is a distinct slump in the swagger, which has been the hallmark of the top CPI(M) leaders. They are drawing comfort from the fact that the electoral outcome is not as bad as they thought it would be. It's certainly better than the LDF's performance in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections in which the front managed to win only 4 out of the 20 seats. That is the refrain of CPI(M) leaders. The party has also ascribed the defeat to the rallying of communal forces behind the UDF. That is true to some extent. But that alone cannot explain the magnitude of the loss.

A host of factors are responsible for the LDF's poor performance in the local bodies elections. First and foremost is the alienation of the rural voters. One instance would suffice to illustrate the point. Panchayats which had stood by the LDF for the last 50 years, have slipped out of its hands this time. Despite the pro-poor welfare measures taken by the government, the LDF has fared badly in the gram and district panchayats, which have been their strongholds.

The opposition United Democratic Front(UDF) has wrested two out of the four corporations which the LDF had won in the 2005 local bodies elections. The LDF lost the Kochi Corporation for the first time in 30 years. Likewise it lost the Thrissur Corporation in which it now has only 6 seats in a 55-strong house. The LDF had to sweat it out to retain power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation by securing 51 seats - just one seat more than what is required for a simple majority. The Kozhikode Corporation has stood by the LDF, much to the front's relief despite a hectic campaign for the UDF by Congress leader K. Karunakaran's son, K. Muralidharan, who is awaiting re-entry into the parent party.

Out of the 14 district panchayats only 5 have gone in favour of the LDF. These are: Kollam, Alappuzha, Palakkad, Kannur and Kasargod.

While the UDF secured majority in 544 gram panchayats, the LDF bagged only 348. As for the block panchayats, the UDF won in 89 and the LDF in 51. Out of the 59 municipalities, the UDF bagged 39 and the LDF 18.

In an angry reaction,, allies CPI and the RSP have squarely blamed the CPI(M) for the poll debacle. The CPI has accused the CPI(M) of conducting a campaign without tasking the allies along. The party has attributed the electoral setback to the total alienation of minorities. The angry outburst of State CPI(M) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan against Manjalamkuzhi Ali, who broke away from the LDF to side with the UDF this time also created widespread revulsion among pro-left Muslim voters, according to the CPI. Similar has been the reaction of another ally, the RSP.

Now that the 'semi-final' has been lost, what next? That is the question agitating the CPI(M). The party will have to act fast as the 'final' - the State Assembly elections - are only 7 months away. The correctives will have to be applied quickly.

The most important need for the CPI(M) is to change the style of functioning of its top leaders like CM VS Achuthanandan, State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and Finance Minister Thomas Isac The arrogance of language and crusty conduct of the CPI(M) leaders had alienated a large number of non-partisan voters. The CPI(M) leaders could do with a bit of humility in public conduct and exercise restraint in their criticism of political rivals.

Blaming it all on Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, as has been the wont of the organizational wing of the party, wont' help either. True VS is inclined to go off the tangent at times giving the impression that he is acting against the party line. But instead of blindly criticizing in public the CM's conduct, the rival faction leaders in the CPI(M) would do well to move in step with VS. There has been hardly any occasion when party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and VS have appeared together in public. If they do that often in the future, it would send a positive signal to the non-partisan voters in the State. Things had improved a bit in the wake of the Lok Sabha election defeat. But ahead of the local bodies polls, VS and Pinarayi had again started sniping at each other on the lottery controversy. It is of the utmost importance that they stop doing that in the remaining six moths in power.

For instance, the Chief Minister has ordered the registration of a case against the lottery king, Santasgo Martin, who is known to be having links with some top CPI(M) leaders, for violation of the Lottery Act. It remains to be seen how they will react to the CM's move. If they welcome the bold VS step, it would go a long way in erasing the public perception that some ruling party leaders have links with the lottery mafia.

The CPI(M) leaders have been forewarned twice - first after the Lok Sabha poll debacle and now in the local bodies election loss. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. So goes the saying. One fervently hopes the CPI(M) would draw appropriate lessons from the latest electoral setback. Failure to do so would be a tragedy, for the Achuthanandan Government has done a lot for the poor in the State by way of supplying rice for Rs 2 a kg for the poor and initiating the EMS housing scheme for the have-nots.

The BJP has not only improved its position in its traditional strongholds but also extended its influence to new area. This development should worry both UDF and LDF.

In politics, even a week is a long time. The CPI(M)-led LDF has six more months at its disposal. Will it rise to the occasion and reverse the adverse electoral trend?
(IPA Service)