Thiruvananthapuram, 16 Dec (H.S.):

Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener T.P. Ramakrishnan on Tuesday said the Kerala government had accepted the people’s verdict in the recent local body elections and was prepared to rectify its shortcomings, even as the front faces criticism following the electoral setback.

Addressing the media after a crucial LDF meeting convened to review the poll results, Ramakrishnan said the Left front would undertake a comprehensive and honest assessment of the reasons behind the defeat. “We have decided to accept the people’s mandate in its true spirit and correct our mistakes. A detailed review of the election outcome will be conducted, and future projects will be planned only after this exercise,” he said.

The LDF convener maintained that despite the defeat, the government had remained committed to public welfare and had implemented several development projects across the State. He added that in-depth discussions would be held in the first week of January to analyse the election results and chart the future course of action. “Our focus will continue to be on public welfare. We will ensure that no opportunistic or hasty decisions are taken going forward,” he said.

Ramakrishnan’s remarks come amid mounting criticism of the LDF government after its poor showing in the local body polls. Political observers and opposition parties have pointed to factors such as allegations linked to the Sabarimala gold scam and accusations against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as having influenced voters against the Left. Responding to this, Ramakrishnan said all analyses related to the LDF’s defeat would be examined with utmost seriousness.

Simultaneously, the LDF convener launched a sharp attack on the Union government, criticising its move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the proposed VB-GRAM Bill. “At present, the Centre bears full financial responsibility for MGNREGA. The new proposal seeks to shift this burden onto the States. Removing Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme is condemnable, and the LDF will strongly protest against it,” he said.

Ramakrishnan also raised concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise could lead to the deletion of nearly 25 lakh voters from the rolls. Citing the Chief Electoral Officer’s announcement that around 25 lakh voters were found untraceable during the SIR process, he accused the Election Commission of India of ignoring the views of political parties and attempting to rush through the revision.

“The process must be transparent and inclusive. Any attempt to hastily conclude the SIR without addressing the concerns of stakeholders will seriously affect democratic rights,” he said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman