Organisational weakness blamed for CPM's Kerala local body poll defeat
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Organisational weakness and overconfidence were among the key reasons behind the LDFs setback in the recently concluded local body elections, CPM leaders observed at the two-day state committee meeting that began on Sunday. They said this prevented the benefits of the LDF governments good governance from effectively reaching the public. The party leadership was criticised for its failure to take timely disciplinary action against Pathanamthitta district committee member and former Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar, an accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case. The UDFs campaign against CPMs laxity in acting against accused leaders, despite two of them being in SIT custody, created distrust among voters, a leader said. However, many others maintained that the Sabarimala episode had little impact in the Malabar region. Instead, there was a strong anti-incumbency factor against several local self governments. The party failed to address the issue. Leaders and lower committees were overconfident, another leader said. The organisational weakness of the CPM reflected in the setback in many districts. Leaders noted that wherever the party effectively countered the BJPs campaign against the CPM and the LDF government, the saffron party failed to make much inroads. The failure to defend against the political attack resulted in loss of control over many local bodies. Several leaders stressed that the LDF even won wherever the party successfully countered the BJPs campaign on the Sabarimala issue. The consolidation of Muslim votes in Malabar and the Christian voters affinity for the UDF in central Kerala were also cited as crucial factors. Leaders criticised the leaderships soft stand on SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, despite his controversial anti-Muslim rhetoric, which they said contributed to the complete alienation of the Muslim community. While the leadership argued that minorities, who had earlier supported the LDF, continued to stand with the front, many urged the party to examine why the governments development achievement failed to resonate with the electorate.
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