‘Who is behind the present situation of CPM and LDF?’ Anti-government sentiment behind setback 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM is in a situation of losing everything. Though believed that there will be an anti-government sentiment, never expected it to be to this extent. Even in constituencies including Vadakara, where a strong contest was expected, the LDF and the CPM have been collapsed. The LDF is nowhere in the picture in Kollam, Wayanad and Idukki.

The CPM was trying to garner votes as much as possible by keeping the minorities close to them as possible. It was not successful but the lead level shows that the majority and minority turned foes. Many including political observers pointed that even in Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's constituency in Kannur, which is said to be a stronghold of the party, the reason behind the Left Front's backwardness is the anti-government sentiment.

There was strong opposition among the employees to the policies of the government. The employees also feared that it would lead Kerala to a financial crisis and put them in a situation where they would not even get their salaries. It must be assumed that the KSRTC employees are not getting their salaries on time and the pension is delayed, for example the above has added to their concern.

The backdoor rules for party members and relatives under the watchful eye of the PSC turned the youth against the government. It was also reflected in the polls. The youths who had hopes on the CPM and the LDF, later abandoned them. The fact that the SFI were responsible for the death of veterinary college student Siddharth and the CPM leaders sneaking in to defend and save them had caused disdain for the party even among the ranks. Massive frauds like what happened in Karuvannur came to light and the central investigation teams behind the leaders caused the label of fraudsters to be attached to the party members. They tried to escape from this by blaming the center but no one believed it.

It cannot be assumed that the suspension of welfare pensions, the increase in the prices of essential goods and the non-availability of essential goods, including Maveli stores, have been a setback. The chief minister and ministers travelling abroad and spending crores for Nava Kerala to win over voters in the Lok Sabha elections, turned the people against them.

Although there were other leaders, it was Pinarayi Vijayan who led the LDF's campaign in Kerala. On the other hand, this was when the Prime Minister and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge were in the forefront. However, the UDF's grand leap in Kerala proves that the people rejected him as a captain and his campaign.

The EP controversy was an unexpected setback for the LDF, which was clearly making headway in the campaign despite several adverse factors. The controversy that had been simmering in the days leading up to the polls flared up with the EP's revelation on the morning of the polling day. People within the party believed that the EP chose to make the disclosure on the polling day itself as per the agreement made with the BJP to sway the LDF. The results of the election show that people including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan came forward to alleviate the problem but that too was not successful.