The Puthuppally bypoll defeat will mark the beginning of the end of the CPI(M) in Kerala, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has claimed.
Addressing the media here on Saturday, he alleged that the ruling party had become arrogant after coming to power for a second consecutive term in the State. The defeat of the party candidate Jaick C. Thomas in Puthuppally was a signal to the CPI(M) from the people, including party members and sympathizers, that all was not well.
Party State secretary M.V. Govindan had reduced himself to playing second fiddle to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Though Mr. Govindan had earlier claimed that the Puthuppally election results would be an evaluation of the government, he changed his opinion later. Mr. Govindan had become an expert in changing his views quite often. The Leader of the Opposition accused Mr. Vijayan of keeping silence even after the election defeat, adding that the Chief Minister was not taking the people’s mandate seriously. He claimed that the victory of Chandy Oommen from Puthuppally was a result of the united effort of UDF leaders.
