THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Posters have sprung up in some parts of Kerala, especially in the CPM stronghold of Kannur, alongside a flood of social media posts demanding that the state party leadership, particularly secretary M.V. Govindan, take responsibility for the LDF’s heavy defeat in the Assembly elections.
Party sympathisers blamed weak leadership, and especially in Kannur district, for the erosion of traditional Left votes in its bastions. The CPM was reduced to 26 seats in the elections.
The CPM lost its strongholds of Payyannur and Taliparamba, where leaders who were removed from the party won by significant margins. The victories of V. Kunhikrishnan, who raised allegations of siphoning of money from the Martyrs Fund, and K. Govindan, who opposed growing nepotism in the party, have been a major embarrassment for the Kannur CPM leadership.
Kunhikrishnan defeated outgoing MLA T.I. Madhusoodhanan in Payyannur, and Govindan trounced P.K. Shyamala, wife of secretary Govindan, in Taliparamba.
Party workers reportedly tore down posters calling for the resignation of Govindan and Kannur district secretary K.K. Ragesh at some places. The CPM state leadership had anticipated securing a third term with 75 to 80 seats, but many workers claim the leaders have lost touch with grassroots organisations and the public, making it difficult to assess the situation accurately. The causes of the defeat are set to be discussed in detail at the CPM state secretariat and state committee meetings scheduled for later this week.
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