CPI(M) central committee reviews poll debacle, says party failed to counter Hindutva politics in Kerala

Introspecting the 2024 LS polls, the CPI(M)’s Central Committee points at the organisational weakness of the party in various States

Introspecting the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s highest decision-making body, the central committee, in a review noted that in Kerala, where the party could only win a single seat, there has been an “erosion” in their “traditional base in several constituencies to the BJP.” 

The panel meeting was held for three days from June 28 at Delhi. The review underlined that the party did not pay sufficient attention to counter “Hindutva politics”. It also pointed out that there was a gap in the party’s own pre-poll estimate and actual results illustrating “weakening of the party’s live links with people”. The panel also criticised the “growing instances of corruption in the panchayats, cooperative institutions and at various other levels,” saying that must be checked and strictly curbed. 

“Instances of arrogant behaviour of cadres from top to bottom are alienating people from the party. The importance of rectification to eliminate wrong trends and behaviour must be undertaken in a planned manner,” the panel’s review said. 

Out of the 20 seats in Kerala, CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front could win only one seat. While the party’s tally did not change from 2019, the LDF’s vote share has come down by 1.75 percentage points. The panel document specifically underscores that the decline has been far sharper over a decade. In 2014, the LDF had 40.2% and in 2024 it has come down by 7 percentage points. 

“A disturbing feature of the election results is the erosion of our traditional base in several constituencies to the BJP. While the main reason for the success of the BJP in Thrissur is the vote it got from the Congress base and a section of the Christians, it is a fact that some of our voting base has gone to the BJP in several places,” the document notes. This is particularly so in Attingal and Alappuzha, it said. 

In West Bengal, the panel noted that while selection of candidates was good it did not have the desired effect because of weak organisational structure. “The State committee review notes that there were no polling agents in 12-14% of booths. This points to the weak state of party organisation. There are many areas where there has been no party in existence for a long time,” the panel said. An extended review will be done by the State unit in August. 

The party has found similar shortcomings in Tamil Nadu too, where even on the two seats that the party won – Madurai and Dindigul – only “40-50% of party members belonging to the two constituencies have worked in the election campaign.”