Kochi: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), an ally of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), has come down heavily on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, blaming him for playing a huge role in the ruling coalition’s drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections.

In a political document presented at the party’s state executive which met in Kochi on Saturday, the NCP(S) stated that the LDF and the chief minister should realise that anti-incumbency feeling was the main reason for the defeat and take steps to correct and make a comeback to victory. The document was presented at the meet chaired by party state president P C Chacko. The criticism echoes the sentiments shared by the CPI, the second largest ally of the CPM, post the elections. The LDF could win only one of the 20 seats in the polls.

In a severe criticism, the party said common people could not reach near CM Vijayan. It said the 'Nava Kerala Sadas', a state-wide outreach programme by the cabinet, could only earn the bad name of dividing people into prominent citizens and ordinary ones and spending crores of rupees. The party said CM Vijayan played a huge role in keeping the media as an enemy. “The government could not even reveal how many complaints (received during the Nava Kerala Sadas) were solved.”

In a direct attack on the chief minister, the NCP(S) said “the people did a self rescue mission even as the left front moved from one mistake to another.” It was referring to CM Vijayan’s repeated claim that the police and the party workers who assaulted Congress activists who staged protests against Nava Kerala Sadas were engaged in a rescue mission.
The NCP (S) said the election campaign centred around the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was not effective and the LDF could not come up with a clear state-centric campaign.

“The media and the social media celebrated the opposition’s allegation that the government splurged on 'Keraleeyam', 'Nava Kerala Sadas', 'Loka Kerala Sabha' and fees of Supreme Court lawyers. Amid these, the state government’s messaging of the state’s financial crisis could not be effective. “Unbearable price rise, the utter failure of the health department, useless Supplyco, KSRTC employees sufferings, crises in cooperative sector including Karuvannur scam, protests by PSC rank list holders, bomb blast in Kannur amid elections – those who were supposed to see the discomfort caused by these across sectors failed to do so,” the party document said.

“Though the delay in distributing welfare pension is a reason for the defeat, the LDF should also introspect why it could not flaunt its achievements during the campaign. The government could not come up with slogans or innovative programmes appealing to the people. While the service of ministers who impressed the people helped the first Pinarayi government, the second term could not sustain it,” the NCP (S) alleged.

It went on to say that DA arrears, hike in water tariff, electricity bill and building tax ended up in negative voting against the government. Police failures and the high-handedness of SFI, the student wing of the CPM, were also flagged in the report.

“Police failures and SFI’s goon politics evoked strong protest from society. Democratic culture must be revived on campuses. CPM should rein in SFI,” the NCP (S) said.
It also blamed LDF convenor EP Jayarajan for meeting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar.

“LDF should have learned from the Thrikkakkara bypoll that there were anti-incumbency sentiments hidden in the result. With the Puthuppally bypoll also, LDF failed to understand that the anti-incumbency was strengthening,” the NCP document said.
The party alleged that the LDF meets have become mere reporting meets.

On the national scenario, the party said the BJP had to swallow bitterness despite using money, communalism and administerial influence. “The people have realised that Modi's guarantee is for the corporates. Had the INDIA which engaged in practical works just days before the election remained more vigilant and prepared better it would have received better results,” it said. The party said its supremo Sharad Pawar’s lone battle gave strength to INDIA and led to the Maha Vikas Akhadi’s impressive show in Maharashtra.