Thrikkakara bypoll results | CPI(M) says UDF lead ‘unexpected’, to ‘introspect’ after final results

The party’s reaction comes after the consistent lead maintained by UDF candidate Uma Thomas over the LDF candidate.

Even as the counting of votes for the Thrikkakara Assembly byelection is underway, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has accepted ‘defeat’ as its Ernakulam district unit termed the lead earned by the United front candidate as ‘unexpected’ and ‘unbelievable’.

C. N.Mohanan, CPI(M) district secretary, accepted the people’s verdict at the end of the fifth round of counting of votes. “We will introspect once the counting of votes is over,” he said.

Asked whether the mandate was a blow to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who spearheaded the Left campaign, Mr. Mohanan claimed that the campaign was not led by the Chief Minister. “He was in Thrikkakara at the request made by the district unit of the party,” he said.

On the statement by CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan that the verdict would be a test of the Left government’s performance, Mr. Mohanan denied that Mr. Balakrishnan had made such a remark. “We had communicated to the people our development vision and plans. What went wrong will now be assessed,” he said.

Mr. Mohanan also denied that there was bickering within the party over finalising the Left candidate.