Kerala LDF coalition cracks over opposition deputy leader post after election defeat

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala is experiencing heightened internal friction following its heavy loss in the recent state elections. Long‑standing tensions between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and its partner, the Communist Party of India (CPI), have intensified over the demand for the opposition deputy leader position.

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam publicly urged that the deputy leader post be allotted to the CPI, prompting a sharp rebuke from CPI(M) and comments from LDF convenor T.P. Ramakrishnan that such matters should be settled within coalition meetings, not in the media. The clash reflects a broader struggle for influence within the alliance, with the CPI attributing the electoral defeat to former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s governance and calling for greater cohesion. The dispute signals a significant power tussle inside Kerala’s ruling coalition as it grapples with the aftermath of its electoral setback.