THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM’s assembly election review has held the entire party collectively responsible for its defeat, amid criticism in lower committees of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s role in the setback.
Reminding the cadre that responsibility for electoral defeat was collective, the CPM state leadership emphasised on the importance of collective responsibility and the role of self-criticism to rectify mistakes.
“Everyone should take responsibility for the poll setback and undertake a self-critical assessment. The leadership should move forward in unity so as to make a strong comeback in the next assembly election,” the review report is learnt to have said.
Calling upon leaders to rectify their mistakes through self-criticism, the report also urged the leadership to take corrective action against those reluctant to do so. The party identified three factors behind the poll setback.
The additional support the LDF received from Muslim and Christian minorities in the 2016 and 2021 assembly elections shifted to the UDF this time, the report pointed out but it did not use the term “minority consolidation”.
Compounding the setback, the party lost a considerable share of votes among the majority Hindu community.
Though the state had traditionally witnessed a change of government every five years, the LDF was voted back to power for a consecutive second term in 2021.
LDF’s decade-long rule had created an anti-government sentiment and a desire for change which led to the change in government. There was opposition to certain government decisions and the organisation too became stagnant, the report noted.
The document also cautioned against BJP’s victories in three assembly constituencies – Nemom, Chathannoor and Kazhakkoottam.
Further, it warned that BJP’s second-placed finish in six assembly constituencies too should be taken seriously.