'Wayanad blame game, Ramya Haridas conundrum, Palakkad BJP debacle'; Political turmoil erupts in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Major political parties are going through a tough phase in Kerala following the ups and downs suffered in the recently finished by-polls. CPM blamed Congress for taking votes from extremist parties to win Palakkad while CPI blamed CPM’s inept work for the loss in Wayanad. Congress workers have started mudslinging over the loss in Chelakkara while things are falling apart in BJP over a humiliating defeat in the highly influential Palakkad constituency.

CPM leaders are interpreting Rahul Mamkootathil's victory as ‘dangerous’ as they alleged Congress joined forces with SDPI and Jamaat-e-Islami. The fact that neither the Congress leadership nor the candidate rejected the SDPI's victory rally in Palakkad speaks volumes about the complicit nature.

Meanwhile, some sections within CPM opposed the party narrative of indirectly blaming almost 45,000 Muslim voters in Palakkad to be favouring religious extremism. Meanwhile, some also believe CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s direct attack on IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal' to distance Muslim voters from the party.

BJP has a better organizational system in Palakkad, so it remains a shocker for many to admit that the party faced defeat by nearly 20,000 votes. BJP going behind by 4590 votes in the municipal council's stronghold was salt to the injury. K Surendran is facing the wrath of members, while his ‘numero uno’ V Muraleedharan also evaded the media from responding to the Palakkad defeat.

Meanwhile, the defeat in Chelakkara has caused some within Congress to turn against the leadership. Many have raised questions about the leadership selecting Ramya Haridas as the ideal candidate just five months after she faced defeat in the LS polls.

In Wayanad, Sathyan Mokeri secured 71000 less than what Annie Raja got in the 2024 LS polls. CPI alleged non-cooperation from CPM and lack of funds to be behind the defeat.