CPI(M) Blames 'False Perceptions' for Kerala Debacle, Vows Reforms!
CPI(M) Blames 'False Perceptions' for Kerala Debacle, Vows Reforms!
CPI(M)'s M.A. Baby points to "false perceptions" and past mistakes for electoral losses in Kerala. The party vows organizational reforms and introspection at a key meeting in Kozhikode.
Kozhikode, Kerala, The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] is undergoing a significant period of introspection, with national general secretary M.A. Baby squarely blaming a “deliberate creation of false perception” for the party's recent electoral setbacks in Kerala.
Speaking at the opening of a crucial three-day extended State committee meeting in Kozhikode on Sunday, September 13, 2026, Baby admitted the party's failure to adequately expose and counter these narratives. Baby highlighted that the Left should have been more vigilant in responding to the construction of these false perceptions. He candidly stated, “We should have exposed this false narrative and defeated it, but we did not do it.
There were some other lapses as well on our part. We need to correct these mistakes, regain the trust of the people and march forward.” This self-critical assessment underscores the party's commitment to address internal shortcomings and rebuild public confidence.
The CPI(M) leader also drew historical parallels, pointing out that “regressive forces” have long engaged in defaming Communist movements.
He referenced the 'Liberation Struggle' of 1958-59, an agitation supported by the Congress and other parties against Kerala's first democratically elected Communist government led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad. Baby asserted that this was a movement against the progressive policies championed by the State at the time.
He noted that despite the undemocratic dismissal of the Communist government by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1959, the party's vote share only marginally declined, indicating public support for their policies. However, the consolidation of anti-Left and right-wing forces prevented them from returning to power then. Baby claimed that a similar tactic unfolded in Kerala in 2026.
He specifically addressed the damaging allegations of a “deal with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party” that emerged after the CPI(M)-led front returned to power in the 2021 Assembly polls.
That allegation has influenced a large number of people. We need to examine where we have made mistakes in countering such campaigns,
he stressed, emphasizing the need for a thorough review of their communication strategies.
The extended State committee meeting, attended by top party leaders including Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan and several Polit Bureau members, is set to be a platform for major organizational reforms. The Central Committee had previously issued a review report on election performance, and the State committee has prepared guidelines for cadres to revive the party's fortunes. Discussions on a document presented by M.V.
Govindan commenced on Sunday, with further deliberations scheduled for Monday. The State committee will finalize another report based on these discussions by September 15. The party is also expected to decide its stance on upcoming byelections during this critical assembly.
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