Our vote share has improved: CPI-M after Kerala drubbing

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Keeping up a brave front despite its electoral reverses, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Kerala Monday said the party has, in fact, improved on its vote share in the local bodies elections by more than a million.

Party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, addressing a press meet, the first after the Left Democratic Front’s worst ever electoral performance in the local bodies election, said the party was “improving and our base is intact”.

“In the May 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the LDF secured a total of 67.17 lakh votes and in the latest local bodies poll, our votes touched 77.81 lakh votes. If one looks into our performance in the 14 districts, we have improved - from a minimum of 17,000 votes to more than a lakh votes - in every district, as compared to 2009,” said Vijayan.

The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has won two of the five corporations and edged past the LDF in the municipalities, district panchayats, block levels and the gram panchayat levels.

“It is true that we did not perform as we had expected to do, but contrary to the reports that we have been routed, the truth is we have improved our performance in the vote share, despite a few of our allies leaving us. Hence, we have actually strengthened our base,” said Vijayan.

He said the Congress-led UDF has won seats because of its “unholy alliance with the communal forces”.

“We are confident that since the next election is round the corner (assembly polls ar likely early next year), we will come back in a big way. We should have done better in the local bodies poll. But with the figures on our side, we are sure we will do well in the next polls,” said Vijayan.