Kerala Assembly Elections 2026| Would have been better if Pinarayi Viajayan had not contested: CPI(M) leaders

Leaders in private had earlier admitted that Pinarayi Vijayan faced people’s anger as he was perceived to be arrogant.

New Delhi: A number of CPI(M) leaders told a meeting of the party’s Polit Bureau that it would have been better if Pinarayi Vijayan did not contest the Kerala elections this time and it would have blunted the anger against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) as he is not in contention for the Chief Ministerial post, sources said.

The 81-year-old had led the campaign with the party not ruling him out as the Chief Ministerial face even though it said a decision will be taken only after the elections. Leaders in private had earlier admitted that Vijayan faced people’s anger as he was perceived to be arrogant.

At the Polit Bureau meeting in New Delhi on May 10 and 11, sources said Vijayan defended the results claiming that the results were not a reflection of people’s sentiments against him or the government he led. However, sources said, a number of leaders felt otherwise.

While CPI(M) Kerala Secretary M V Govindan agreed with Vijayan, sources said there was a view in the Polit Bureau that if Vijayan had just led the campaign by not fighting the elections, it would have sent a message across that the assignment would go to another leader.

CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, while addressing a press conference after the meeting on Monday, had said that Vijayan alone cannot be held responsible for the results, as the party functions through “collective leadership”. 

At the meeting, sources said, questions were also raised about the candidate selection process, including the shifting of KK Shailaja from Mattannur to Peravoor as also in handling the rebels. 

Before the meeting, sources had said that they were aware of the anti-incumbency against Vijayan and the issue had cropped up during the campaign stage itself. Incidentally, the Polit Bureau did not intervene earlier to stop Vijayan from contesting this time.

The CPI(M) follows an age limit of 75 years for its leaders contesting elections as well as for their membership in committees. Vijayan was given relaxation to remain in the Polit Bureau owing to his position as Chief Minister as well as to contest the election this time.

In 2016 when CPI(M) went to polls with former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and Vijayan contesting together, there was clarity that the latter would head the government. Sources said this time too the party went ahead with Vijayan despite ten years of anti-incumbency.