‘LDF is now extreme Right, we are the Nehruvian Left’: Congress’s VD Satheesan

Speaking at the Indian Express Idea Exchange, he said a key factor behind the defeat of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government was the “erosion from CPM roots”.

“Now the LDF is not left. They are extreme right. We are the Nehruvian left. The Left’s fellow travellers, those who were with CPM for a long time, believed us (and) our progressive stand. And I think there was an erosion from the CPM roots,” he said.

“First time in the history of Kerala politics, a majority shifted from the Left’s side to our side. This was the difference. Six months back, I spoke to the media that there would be a surprise before the elections. So many leaders left from their side, so many leaders contested the election as Independents with the support of the UDF. Many of them won the election,” Satheesan said.

The CPM, he said, faces the prospect of disintegration in the aftermath of the crushing defeat. “If they are not correcting themselves, what happened in Bengal and Tripura will be repeated in Kerala, no doubt,” he said.

Listing the other factors that contributed to the big UDF win, Satheesan said that while anti-incumbency played a role, the Congress missed no opportunity to “expose” the state government on multiple fronts.

The “homework”, he said, started two years ahead of the election. “We conducted a health conclave, an education conclave and an industrial conclave. We interacted with many experts inside and outside the country on many subjects. Then we prepared special documents and presented them before the people,” he said. People, he stressed, believed that if the UDF came to power, it would address the areas where the previous government had failed.