LDF witnessing internal tussle over performance in Kerala Assembly elections

Despite the thumping victory in the Assembly elections with 99 seats and retaining power for the second consecutive term, the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala is witnessing an internal tussle over the performance in elections.

While CPI, which is a long term ally with the CPM, and Kerala Congress (M), which is a new entrant to the Front, were accusing each other for the poor performance of the LDF in some of the constituencies, the CPM is initiating action against many of its prominent local leaders for alleged lapses in the electioneering.

CPI's evaluation of LDF's performance in the Assembly elections also reportedly concluded that Kerala Congress (M)'s entry to the LDF did not give many advantages to the LDF, especially in parts of Central Kerala. The defeat of Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani at the party's home turf Pala in Kottayam district was pointed out by CPI to state that he was not having mass support.

Kerala Congress (M) termed the evaluations and baseless and specifically pointed out certain constituencies claiming that the LDF candidates won with the help of Kerala Congress (M)'s influence.

Sources in the LDF said that the CPI was quite apprehensive about whether its significance in the LDF may be affected by the entry of the Kerala Congress (M). The CPI was even opposed to the entry of the Kerala Congress (M) to the LDF especially highlighting the protest the LDF unleashed against Kerala Congress (M) founder leader K M Mani over corruption allegations while he was serving as Finance Minister in the Congress-led government.

With regard to the number of MLAs, at present, the CPI is having 62 MLAs followed by CPI with 17 MLAs and Kerala Congress (M) with five MLAs.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan preferred not to make any direct comments on the issue maintaining that those were only media reports.

Meanwhile, the CPM has already taken actions like demotion and warnings against many prominent leaders in various districts on charges of being inactive in electioneering.

In Ernakulam district, several leaders faced action after the party's prominent candidates like sitting MLA M Swaraj lost. Actions were also taken against prominent leaders in Thiruvananthapuram and Pathanamthitta districts. Former minister G Sudhakaran, who is from Alappuzha, was also likely to face action. The actions were being initiated on the basis of evaluation by the party into the election performance.

LDF sources said that it could be for the first time that the party was taking swift actions against the local leaders for deliberate lapses in electioneering, which were mainly due to differences over candidate selection.

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