KOCHI: A day after the LDF suffered a humiliating defeat in Thrikkakara bypoll, the CPM has initiated a detailed inquiry into the reasons for the debacle. CPM district secretariat in Ernakulam on Saturday started analysing the setback in the bypoll and as per reports issues like ‘weak candidature’ and ‘consolidation of anti-LDF votes’, etc. were discussed.
The party leadership is discussing why the constituency committee led by state secretariat member M Swaraj failed to sense the pulse in Thrikkakara; instead predicted a possible surprising victory for the LDF by a narrow margin. It is learnt that the party will conduct a micro-level analysis to understand what happened as the LDF could lead only 22 out of the 239 booths.
Sources within the party said that many of the district leaders reportedly expressed their displeasure in the selection of a non-party LDF candidate, which they raised as one of the main reasons for the failure. Many of them said that the party’s state leadership LDF ignored the district leaders’ suggestion to field a strong party candidate instead of a ‘weak candidate’ with an eye on Christian votes.
Meanwhile, CPM central committee member and minister P Rajeeve justified the LDF’s candidate selection on Saturday claiming that the vote percentage increased in the bypoll compared to 2021 assembly polls. He also said that there was nothing special about LDF’s high-decibel micro-level campaign in Thrikkakara as it was just like the front’s coordinated work in any bypoll.
“LDF’s candidate was a party candidate and the decision was taken by the party. We implemented our decision and it worked out well as LDF increased its vote share,” Rajeeve said.
However, the party’s district leaders are not happy with the justification, especially when the total votes secured by Jo Joseph was around 2,000 lesser than Sebastian Paul’s when he contested for LDF in 2016.
Rajeeve also tried to justify the failure by stating that Thrikkakara was ‘pro-UDF traditionally’ and the LDF did their best in the bypoll. “We are analysing every aspect of the setback. Thrikkakara is traditionally a constituency where the UDF has a strong influence. Also, there was a sympathy wave in favour of UDF and anti-LDF votes consolidated in their favour,” Rajeeve said.
