By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Left parties are no longer in power in any Indian state for the first time since 1977 after the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) defeat in the Kerala Assembly elections.
The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) returned to power after a decade, winning 102 seats in the 140-member Assembly, while the LDF was reduced to 35 seats, according to Election Commission data. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also opened its account with victories in three constituencies.
The outcome ended Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s decade-long rule and left the Left without power in any state for the first time in nearly five decades.
During the campaign, the Congress accused the CPI(M) of softening its opposition to the BJP. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had referred to the CPI(M) as the “Communist Janata Party”.
CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby rejected the allegation, calling it a “deliberate” and “distorted” narrative aimed at damaging the party’s image. He said the CPI(M) had consistently supported socially and economically marginalised communities across religion and caste lines.
The debate has also brought renewed attention to the political resolution adopted at the CPI(M)’s 21st Party Congress under former general secretary Sitaram Yechury, which identified opposition to the BJP and the Narendra Modi government’s policies as the party’s principal political task.
Within party circles, questions have also been raised over the Vijayan government’s October 2025 decision to sign up for the Prime Minister Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme linked to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Kerala had earlier opposed the NEP along with Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, arguing that it affected the federal structure and encroached upon school education, a subject in the Concurrent List. The state government later changed its stand to secure Central funding. However, the scheme was not implemented following opposition from sections within the Left alliance, particularly the Communist Party of India (CPI).
Questions were also raised over the CPI(M)’s response to remarks made by Ezhava leader Vellappally Natesan during the campaign period.
Baby rejected the criticism and said the CPI(M) had neither endorsed Natesan’s statements nor implemented the PM SHRI scheme. He also pointed to the Congress sharing power with the BJP in a panchayat in Thrissur and accused the Congress of helping the BJP secure victory in the constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
On the electoral setback, Baby said the party would undertake a “forensic review” to identify and address “aberrations”, whether “real or imagined”.
He said the LDF government had attempted to meet public expectations despite financial constraints imposed by the BJP-led Union government.
CPI general secretary D. Raja defended the LDF government’s record, citing Kerala’s social indicators, including higher life expectancy and lower infant mortality, as well as infrastructure projects such as roads and metro rail systems.
He also said the state witnessed no major communal or caste conflict during the decade-long LDF rule. At the same time, Raja acknowledged the need for introspection following the defeat.
Congress emerged as the single largest constituent within the UDF alliance with a vote share of 28.79 per cent, while the CPI(M) secured 21.77 per cent. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key UDF ally, recorded an 11.01 per cent vote share.
The election also resulted in the defeat of 13 ministers from the outgoing LDF government.
Among senior leaders, only a few ministers retained their seats, including Pinarayi Vijayan, P A Mohamed Riyas, K Rajan, G R Anil, K N Balagopal, P Prasad and Saji Cherian. Ministers including Veena George, M B Rajesh and P Rajeev were defeated.
Within the UDF, senior Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan secured comfortable victories.
The BJP won Nemom and Kazhakoottam in Thiruvananthapuram district and Chathannoor in Kollam district. State BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar won from Nemom, former Union minister V Muraleedharan secured Kazhakoottam, and B B Gopakumar won Chathannoor.
Following the results, Congress leaders welcomed the mandate. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra thanked voters for their support, while AICC general secretary K C Venugopal described the outcome as a rejection of the LDF government.
CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said the party would conduct a detailed review of the defeat and take corrective measures.
The 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly will have 11 women MLAs, one fewer than in the outgoing House.