The Left Democratic Front (LDF) poll campaign in the state in general and at the Thrissur, Kollam and Kannur constituencies in particular received a major shot in the arm with the Aravindakshan faction of the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) formally joining its hands with the LDF on Monday.
According to CMP state secretary M K Kannan, the CMP can be a deciding factor in at least three constituencies as the party has considerable support in these constituencies.
Besides, the party has 5,000 to 10,000 votes in at least half a dozen constituencies in the state, which will also play a crucial role in the elections.
In fact, the Communist Marxist Party had decided to work with Left parties at least five years ago and CMP general secretary M K Ragavan had himself taken the initiative to hold consultation with CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, former CPI secretary C K Chandrappan and CPI leader Kanam Rajendran in this regard.
However, a formal understanding on this matter proved to be elusive owing to various reasons.
But now, almost everything seems to have fallen in place for the party and the LDF in the state and there is massive support for the Left candidates with the arrival of CMP and JSS in LDF camp, he said. Meanwhile, C P John, while announcing the names of the district secretaries in 13 districts in Thrissur, said that though a section of the party is in an alliance with the LDF after the split and is working in favour of LDF candidates, it will not make an impact in the state since majority of the district committees and members are backing our faction.
CPI leaders V S Sunilkumar MLA, K P Rajendran and others who received the Communist Marxist Party members led by state secretary M K Kannan in Thrissur on Monday said that the switchover of the CMP to the LDF camp would work to the advantage of the Left candidates in the state.
However, dismissing the speculation that the switchover of Communist Marxist Party could be a threat to the UDF, the UDF leaders said there is no possibility of the breakaway faction of the CMP doing well under Aravindakshan in the LDF fold.