The Congress-led UDF is in the process of introspection following the major setback in the local body elections. Attempts are being made to find the causes of the failure with analysis and evaluations. These are the normal procedures after any election. But the immediate reactions from Congress leaders after the results do not necessarily reflect the realities. The strangest thing was the assessment of the leaders that the verdict is not against the UDF and the base of the front is still strong. The situation has improved compared to the previous election. The evaluation that the UDF and the Congress have suffered setbacks in the elections is meant to mislead the people. The election results are going to give the UDF more confidence - this is the assessment of the leadership. These are the reactions of the state Congress president, the Leader of the Opposition and the former Chief Minister when they jointly met the media. This suggests that leaders are still reluctant to accept the facts as they are. This is an approach that does no good to the Congress or the Front. Success and failure are natural in any election which should be accepted as it is. The Congress leaders, who say that the verdict is not against the UDF, are in effect further weakening the party.

There are those within the party who openly say that the current approach followed by Congress is not appropriate at all. As soon as the local results came out, former KPCC president and MP K Muraleedharan has openly said it. There are many in the party who support his view that Congress needs major surgery. There is a tendency to view dissidents at party meetings as rebels. It is not good for the party to have a few people in a closed room in the PCC office and make decisions. Leaders must be prepared to work sincerely from within the public. If the current system continues, the electoral defeat will be repeated. Muraleedharan's view that jumbo committees will not do any good to the party should not be dismissed. The size of each committee is unaffordable even to the party. It was also an election that proved just how bad it was to expel some of the allies without realizing the political implications. It must now be understood that the defeat at Pala Municipality and Kottayam was due to a short-sighted decision. Bias in candidate selection has caused defeat in many seats. While Congress proudly claims to include all sections of the population, its negative stance on giving seats to the backward and lower classes has caused a major loss, which now the leadership might have understood. The self-evident figures of the injustice done by Congress to the backward communities, including the Ezhavas, in the division of seats has been repeatedly brought to notice by us.

During this election period, it was also seen that it was irrational for the leaders to issue statements as they felt on issues that need thought. One leader declared that if the UDF came to power in the Assembly elections, there would be no such thing as a Life Mission. It is true that the flat complex which was started under the auspices of Life Mission in Vadakancherry was involved in a bribery controversy and a case. Even then, who can accept the irrational declaration that the Life Mission project itself, which is supposed to help the millions of homeless poor, will be stopped?

The Leader of the Opposition believes that public sentiment against the government was not fully reflected in the local elections. That is why the LDF has made more gains. He also opined that personal ties are an important factor in local elections rather than politics. Doesn't that mean that Congress was not been able to find candidates who have good personal relationships with the people? The heavy defeat in the elections is also proof that the party is moving further away from the people. The leadership needs to think of a way to regain the lost public trust. The Congress leadership needs to listen to words of criticism from within the front. The consolation of the party president that the base is secure is not going to do much good. A party will be complete only if there are constructions above the base.