LDF to review poll outcome on Oct. 6

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 2. The State committee of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) would meet here on October 6 to review the results of the just-concluded local bodies' elections.

The LDF leaders are upset about the poll outcome and feel that the reasons why the ruling Front had failed to make the kind of gains it had hoped for should be subjected to a detailed analysis by the LDF panel.

Some of the Front leaders have already come out with the admission that relations between LDF constituents were under strain in many places. The CPI, for instance, has admitted that it had no option but to field candidates against the CPI(M) in places such as Kottayam as the local leadership of the CPI(M) was not willing to accommodate their reasonable demands.

The RSP State secretary, Prof. T.J. Chandrachoodan, and the NCP leader and Health Minister, Mr. V.C. Kabeer, also have hinted at the "big brother" attitude of the CPI(M) in several places having contributed to the LDF's poor poll outing. Prof. Chandrachoodan has demanded that the reasons for the setback sustained by the LDF be looked into seriously and shortcomings, if any, be addressed with equanimity.

He has indirectly admitted that there were rumblings within the LDF over sharing of seats resulting in intra-Front contests. In a veiled reference to the faction feud in the CPI(M), he has also said that hostilities within constituent parties also have contributed to the LDF's poor showing.

Mr. Kabeer has squarely blamed the CPI(M) for the LDF's far from impressive performance. According to him, the CPI(M) did not do justice to smaller parties such as the Janata Dal, NCP and the RSP. He has also taken exception to the CPI(M)-Muslim League tie- up at the local-level.

The coalition partners' hint at schisms within the CPI(M) is significant because in many parts of Ernakulam, the party's poor showing has to do with the tactical intervention by party dissidents. The candidature of dissidents showed a definite pattern making it clear that quite a lot of thinking had gone into their action. Unlike in the past, the CPI(M) had to put up with rebel menace in many places, particularly on account of the party's tie-up with the Muslim League.

The LDF constituents are worried about the CPI(M)'s intentions now that the positions in the newly-elected local bodies are up for grabs. The allies have the grouse that the CPI(M) is trying to corner all the important positions. In Thiruvananthapuram, for instance, the CPI is keen on getting the Deputy Mayor post, but seems in no position to have things its way.

The CPI leadership has already taken up the issue with their CPI(M) counterparts and have been assured that the formulae worked out after the last elections would hold good unless otherwise decided. However, the CPI leaders are not optimistic about it because they have already seen that the CPI(M) leadership was unable to safeguard their interests in the districts.

The CPI(M) State committee is meeting from October 9 to take stock of the situation. Any review of the poll outcome by the party cannot but touch upon the impact of the tactical adjustments that the CPI(M) had made with the Muslim League and the kind of reaction it had evoked, both within and outside the party.

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