Senior CPI (M) leader E P Jayarajan on Friday said the party-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) would overcome its “unexpected” electoral setback in the Kerala Assembly polls and make a strong comeback after “correcting its shortcomings.”

In a Facebook post, Mr. Jayarajan said the scale of the defeat suffered by the LDF in the election was “completely unexpected.”

"We never expected such a huge setback. Kerala had witnessed exemplary governance during the last 10 years. Yet the setback happened," he said.

Referring to former Chief Minister E M S Namboodiripad, Mr Jayarajan said that while functioning within the framework of "bourgeois democracy", lapses could occur and the CPI(M) and the Left would correct them.

"If there were any such lapses, the CPI(M) and the Left have the strength to correct them and move ahead. We will make a strong comeback by bringing back sections of people who moved away due to misunderstandings and other reasons,” he said.

Mr Jayarajan said the communist movement in Kerala and India had not progressed through uninterrupted victories alone, but through analysing setbacks and making corrections.

Recalling political history, he said the 1957 Namboodiripad government had implemented several welfare measures but was dismissed through what he termed the misuse of constitutional provisions and democratic subversion.

Mr Jayarajan said the LDF government that came to power in 2016 had secured a consecutive term in 2021, but despite what he described as excellent governance over the last decade, it suffered a setback in the latest election.

"The CPI(M) and the Left have the strength to overcome this setback too,” he said.

Slams UDF on CM selection talks

At the same time, Mr. Jayarajan criticised the Congress-led UDF over the ongoing discussions regarding the selection of the next Chief Minister.

"Look at the other side. They are fighting for the Chief Minister's chair in a manner that insults the people who voted for them. Even with 102 MLAs (UDF tally), they are unable to select a Chief Minister from among themselves and are looking towards the High Command," he alleged.

He claimed the developments would soon create an explosion within the Congress and the UDF.

Mr Jayarajan also expressed concern over what he termed the "fascist-style democratic slaughter" being carried out by the Sangh Parivar in national politics.

Claiming that the BJP came to power in West Bengal after "excluding 95 lakh voters," he alleged that attempts were also being made to play political games in Tamil Nadu through the Governor.

"The Left must become stronger to resist these fascist tendencies that seek to destroy democracy and secularism," he said.

He warned that even a slight weakening of the Left in Kerala would provide space for “communal forces” to grow and threaten the State's secular traditions and social progress.

"These are the realities before us and the CPI(M) and the Left will undertake activities keeping all this in mind in the coming days," he added.