Faced with its worst performance ever in a Lok Sabha election with just nine seats, the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met on Sunday to carry out a preliminary review of the elections and the party’s performance.The party is of the view that the Bharatiya Janata Party reaped the benefits of an anti-Congress wave across the country while simultaneously polarising the electorate by projecting Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. The party’s State committees will undertake a detailed constituency-wise analysis of the election results over the next fortnight.
While the CPI(M) retained its hold over Tripura, it was decimated in West Bengal — reduced to two seats — and marginally improved its performance in Kerala with the help of the two Independentsit fielded to reach out to the Christian community, which has traditionally been anti-Left.
The State committees have been asked to finalise their analyses by June 6, when the Polit Bureau will meet again ahead of a two-day session of the Central Committee.
Of particular concern is the party’s inability to get back on its feet in West Bengal, where the Polit Bureau alleged, the results were “distorted” by “widespread rigging and violence” by the Trinamool Congress.
With an NDA government at the Centre and the BJP increasing its vote share in the State to 16 per cent at the expense of the Left, there is an apprehension that the Assembly elections will see the saffron party make deeper inroads in West Bengal.
In Kerala, the CPI(M) increased its tally by one and also saw two Independents backed by it winning their seats. However, Kerala’s practise of alternating between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front every election has been broken this time round. The UDF has walked away with the lion’s share of seats this time too. This, according to party leaders, was anticipated in view of minority consolidation in favour of the Congress in the face of the Modi factor.
