Thiruvananthapuram, May 19 (IANS) For the first time since the stunning electoral collapse of the Left Democratic Front in the Kerala Assembly elections, former Chief Minister and now Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan has publicly spoken about the defeat, and his carefully worded remarks come at a time when anger and rebellion are steadily building within the Communist Party of India (Marxist) itself.

Addressing a party event in his hometown of Kannur on Tuesday, Vijayan said the Left government had worked over the last 10 years to take Kerala forward and had implemented several welfare and development initiatives in sectors such as healthcare, education, waste management and the protection of women and children.

“We fully accept the people’s verdict. We are not saying that only we can do these things. We will support the welfare programmes of the new government. If things go otherwise, we will oppose them. Nobody should see this as the end of the LDF or the CPI-M. We will return strongly,” Vijayan declared.

The statement marks his first direct public response after the devastating verdict delivered on May 4, in which the Congress-led United Democratic Front swept to power with a massive 102-seat victory.

The Left Front, which had hoped to create history by securing a rare third consecutive term under Vijayan’s leadership, was reduced to just 35 seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party also made significant gains by reopening its account in the Assembly with three seats.

Since the results, Vijayan had remained largely out of public view, limiting his response to a brief social media message posted a few days after the defeat.

His prolonged silence had triggered intense speculation within political circles as criticism mounted from within the party ranks.

What makes Vijayan’s remarks politically significant is their timing.

Across Kerala, ongoing district committee review meetings of the CPI-M have reportedly witnessed unprecedented criticism against the former Chief Minister.

Speaker after speaker is understood to have blamed Vijayan’s allegedly arrogant and inaccessible style of functioning for the electoral disaster.

Several leaders reportedly questioned the concentration of power around Vijayan and accused the leadership of becoming disconnected from ordinary party workers and the public. In some meetings, demands were openly raised seeking Vijayan’s removal as Leader of the Opposition, while others also called for State Secretary M V Govindan to step down and accept responsibility for the rout.

Against that backdrop, Vijayan’s declaration that the Left would return strongly appears aimed not just at reassuring supporters, but also at asserting his authority within a party now entering one of the most turbulent phases in its recent political history.

–IANS

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