CPM goes all-out to outwit Kerala Congress
A lot seems to be at stake for the CPM in Kerala in the coming parliamentary elections. Apart from setting the electoral record straight following the humiliation of 2019 when it won just one seat, the ruling party is also looking to shake off the perception that it has lost some ground after winning the second consecutive term in the 2021 assembly election.
Besides, the election outcome will most likely be seen as a test of credibility for the Pinarayi Vijayan government, and a personal battle for the chief minister himself in the light of the allegations against him and his daughter.
That the party would leave no stone unturned in its efforts is clear from the fact that it has already—even before the election dates are announced—finalised its candidates for all the 15 seats it is contesting out of the total 20 in Kerala, and has decided to field some party stalwarts—including a minister, four former ministers, a politburo member and four sitting MLAs.
The party is evidently aiming to seize the early-mover benefit to blunt the advantage the Congress-led UDF naturally enjoys in a national election. By fielding the likes of former ministers Thomas Isaac and K K Shailaja, minister K Radhakrishnan and actor Mukesh, it hopes to recover the strongholds it lost and claim new grounds. It is clear that the CPM has only one candidate-selection criterion—winnability.
This is nothing like the 2019 election. The perceived absence of a Rahul Gandhi wave, the improbability of the Congress coming to power at the Centre, and the lack of an emotional issue like the Sabarimala make a strong case for the party to significantly improve its tally.
While the CPM is banking on the popularity of Isaac and Shailaja in Pathanamthitta and Vadakara, it has cleverly fielded K S Hamsa, a former Muslim League leader who enjoys the sympathies of the Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama, to wrest the Ponnani seat from the Muslim League.
At the same time, the CPM has decided to sacrifice an efficient minister such as Radhakrishnan and is preparing for assembly bypolls in its all-out attempt to outsmart the Congress. Considering that the CPM is likely to back the Congress should such a post-election scenario demand it, it seems like lot of sacrifice to make in a contest that could turn out to be a mere battle of prestige.