LDF will not boycott swearing-in as UDF did in 2021, says MV Govindan

Kannur: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) will not boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government as the Congress-led opposition did in 2021, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said in Kannur on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after attending the CPM district secretariat meeting, Govindan said the UDF had, in 2021, taken a position of not recognising the government, governance system, or development initiatives. “We will not take that approach. As a constructive opposition, we will fully support what is right, strongly criticise what is wrong, and extend support as an opposition to correct mistakes and move forward,” he said.

The UDF had stayed away from the 2021 swearing-in ceremony of then Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his ministers, objecting to the event being held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram with around 500 invitees in the middle of the Covid pandemic. Then UDF convenor M M Hassan had said UDF MLAs and MPs watched the ceremony online instead of attending in person, arguing that the circumstances demanded a low-key oath-taking ceremony.

The UDF's V D Satheesan will be sworn in as Chief Minister at 10 am on Monday at the Central Stadium. His full cabinet is also expected to take the oath on the same day.

On the Assembly election setback, Govindan said the LDF could make a comeback by carrying out a serious organisational review, correcting mistakes, and reviving its class and mass movements. “We accept the defeat. A new government is about to take office. We will conduct ourselves with the dignity expected of an opposition,” he said.

He said the CPM’s state secretariat and state committee had spent the past three days critically reviewing the defeat, but felt that alone was not enough. “This is a major setback for the LDF. There are many reasons behind it. The party, unitedly, will examine all those reasons and move towards necessary corrective measures,” he said.

The CPM-led LDF has been reduced to 35 MLAs in the 140-member assembly. In 2021, it won 99 seats.

Rejecting suggestions in sections of the media that the Left’s influence in Kerala was fading, Govindan said he did not agree with that assessment. He also attacked the Union government over the latest fuel price hike, accusing it of “robbing the people” through increased petrol and diesel prices.

After Friday’s district secretariat meeting, the CPM district committee is expected to meet over the next two days to analyse the setbacks in traditional party bastions such as Payyannur and Taliparamba, as well as the erosion of support in Dharmadam, the constituency represented by Pinarayi Vijayan.