The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on the state assembly election results, on May 19.

POLIT Bureau of the CPI(M) salutes the people of Kerala for reposing faith in the CPI(M) led LDF in a resounding manner in these assembly elections.  Kerala electorate has decisively rejected the Congress-led UDF’s track record of unprecedented corruption and misgovernance.

The LDF campaign was received enthusiastically by the people for a positive programme as detailed in the LDF manifesto for the holistic development of Kerala.

The BJP managed to open its account in the Kerala assembly for the first time.  They were ably assisted by the Congress-led UDF, who failed to even deploy polling agents in a very large number of booths in this Nemom assembly constituency.  Kerala people have decisively rejected the politics of communal polarisation aggressively led by prime minister and BJP president in the campaign. 

WEST BENGAL

The CPI(M) respects the verdict of the West Bengal electorate which re-elected the TMC government in this election. The CPI(M) and the Left Front had campaigned for the restoration of democracy, peace and tranquility in the state facing terror and intimidation.  During the election process, many Left cadres lost their lives. Even in the post-poll period and during the counting today, reports of violence and attacks have come in.  We salute all our Party workers and sympathisers who have bravely resisted terror and campaigned in these elections.

The CPI(M) Central Committee and the West Bengal state committee will examine the  reasons for the  poor performance of the Left Front and the electoral tactics adopted to draw proper lessons.

The BJP vote percentage has declined from 16.84 in 2014 Lok Sabha elections to 10.20 in these assembly elections.  Clearly, it was able to win some seats ably assisted by a vote transfer between the BJP and the TMC.

The CPI(M) and the Left Front in West Bengal will continue with their struggle for protecting the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people and against the politics of terror.

TAMILNADU

The people’s verdict in Tamilnadu has returned the AIADMK government in the state. 

Money power and corruption played an important role with both the AIADMK and the DMK distributing `money for votes’ in all the 234 assembly constituencies. 

The six-party alliance – DMDK, MDMK, TMC, VCK, CPI(M) and CPI – squeezed out in the bipolar polarisation in the state, has announced to continue their movement for protecting and advancing the interests of people in Tamilnadu. 

ASSAM

The BJP is all set to form the government in Assam for the first time. 

In the absence of an effective secular democratic alternative, the massive anti-incumbency against the three term 15-year long Congress government and its anti-people policies in the state benefitted the BJP.

PUDUCHERRY

An independent candidate supported by CPI(M) won the Mahe assembly constituency for the first time, entering the Puducherry assembly.