ALAPPUZHA: This 1996 stunner from Mararikulam remains fresh in the memory of poll pundits. Widely regarded as a chief ministerial candidate at the time, CPM stalwart V S Achuthanandan lost to Congress leader P J Francis by a narrow margin of 1,965 votes.
The result remains one of the most striking examples of how internal factionalism can shape electoral outcomes, according to political observer M Jayachandran.
Recalling the backstory, he said the friction within the CPM began intensifying around the 1991 assembly elections. “At the time, the ruling LDF was confident of retaining power and even advanced the polls by a year, buoyed by a sweeping victory in the district council elections, where it won 13 districts,” he added.
The political climate then was influenced in part by global developments such as the Gulf War. However, the tide shifted dramatically following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, leading to a landslide victory for the UDF in Kerala. Achuthanandan, who won from Mararikulam that election, went on to serve as leader of the opposition.
Those years also saw organisational churn within the CPM, particularly at the 1992 state conference in Kozhikode. In a key development, Achuthanandan lost out to E K Nayanar, who became the party’s state secretary.
“The period was also marked by internal purges — often referred to as the ‘vetti nirathal’ (mowing) — even as Achuthanandan consolidated his position within the party,” Jayachandran noted.
“Between 1992 and 1994, the party adopted a new organisational line associated with Achuthanandan: leaders holding organisational posts were encouraged to contest elections, while sitting legislators were to return to party work. As a result, Nayanar did not contest the 1996 election, and Achuthanandan was fielded again from Mararikulam.”
Despite the LDF returning to power that year, Achuthanandan’s defeat proved decisive. Though a faction within the party wanted Susheela Gopalan (wife of A K Gopalan) to be the chief minister, the CPM state secretariat eventually voted in favour of Nayanar. He later contested a byelection in Thalassery and became chief minister for the third time.
Years later, P J Francis reflected that the loss ultimately reshaped Achuthanandan’s public image. According to him, the defeat made the veteran leader more relatable and humane, encouraging him to engage beyond rigid party lines. Over time, this transformation helped him emerge as a more people-friendly figure in Kerala’s political landscape.