The Communist Party of India (CPI) State Council meeting on Tuesday cited Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s close association with Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yoga General Secretary Vellappally Natesan as one of the reasons for the underperformance of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the recently concluded local body elections.
The meeting took strong exception to Mr. Natesan’s generally charged statements at frequent intervals, even when he was seen alongside Mr. Vijayan at public events, and it was concluded that this may have contributed to the consolidation of Muslim votes against the Left Front. Although Mr. Vijayan had maintained a few days ago that he did not consider it necessary to reconsider his association with Mr. Natesan, the CPI categorically suggested that the matter required reconsideration and rectification.
Discussions also focused on Mr. Vijayan’s style of functioning, with some leaders feeling that he lacked a sense of collective unity. The complaint was that the Chief Minister often tended to function as a supremo.
While there was general acceptance among the masses for the government’s programs and schemes, some participants pointed to a growing discontent—even among leftist intellectuals and sympathizers—with the government “deviating” from the leftist path.
Criticism has also been leveled at the way the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) responded to the arrest of its leaders in the Sabarimala gold theft case. One leader remarked that the Left Front should have shown more political maturity in dealing with the problem instead of adopting a wait-and-see approach.
The meeting highlighted the need for serious introspection to understand why people gave the Left a short break despite the government’s strong performance on many fronts.
The CPI acknowledged that it too fell short in several regions. The party has decided to examine its own shortcomings to overcome them and strengthen the Left Front ahead of the 2026 parliamentary polls.
Published – 30 Dec 2025 22:11 IST
