NEW DELHI: The Congress Friday said its less than expected performance in Kerala, where it managed a wafer-thin majority, was due to Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan getting voters' sympathy for attacks on him by his own party.
"We were not expecting such a narrow win for UDF (United Democratic Front) but it was the sympathy of voters for V.S. Achuthanandan which helped him garner the votes," a senior Congress leader said here.
The Congress-led UDF won 72 seats, just one more than a simple majority. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) bagged 68 seats.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the leader said Achuthanandan was being sidelined by the party and the sympathy he gained worked to the LDF's advantage.
He said perception of Achuthanandan fighting it out in adverse conditions helped him cut into opposition space.