Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 31 (NationPress) A sense of despair has enveloped the Kerala branch of the CPI(M) following their underwhelming performance in the recent local body elections, a contest the ruling Left had perceived as a launching pad to establish a narrative for an unprecedented third consecutive term in governance.

Instead, the outcomes have unveiled weaknesses that the party cannot afford to overlook as the Assembly election cycle approaches.

Renowned for its robust organizational structure, often juxtaposed with the Congress' faction-ridden dynamics, the CPI(M) entered the polls with the belief that sustained governance under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is nearing a decade in power, would lead to electoral consolidation.

However, that confidence has been significantly shaken.

A series of scandals, including the Sabarimala gold smuggling issue, which involves key individuals connected to the Left ecosystem under legal scrutiny, has complicated the party's political messaging and diluted its welfare narrative.

Privately, senior party members concede that the path ahead is formidable. “As the situation stands, a miracle may be essential,” admitted a senior CPI(M) leader on the condition of anonymity.

With only months remaining before the Assembly elections, the leadership is placing its hopes on vigorous grassroots mobilization to reverse the decline.

There is also an increasing reflection on why the second Vijayan administration has struggled to mirror the political stability and goodwill of the 2016-21 period, with some within the party reconsidering Kerala's long-established trend of alternating governments as a structural reality.

Electoral calculations have further complicated the situation.

The CPI(M) is reevaluating its outreach to the Muslim community, which constitutes over 22 percent of the state’s populace and has predominantly supported the Left in the 2016 and 2021 elections.

At the same time, segments of the Christian electorate -- historically loyal to the Congress and briefly open to the Left -- seem to be returning to the United Democratic Front amid changing socio-political concerns.

Conversely, the Congress has swiftly moved to capitalize on its tumultuous local body victories.

Buoyed by the results, the party's leadership is set to gather in Wayanad in the first week of 2026 to initiate preliminary work on candidate selection.

Importantly, the Congress aims to replicate its recent strategy of being the first to announce candidates -- a proactive advantage that proved beneficial in the local elections.

For the ruling Left in Kerala, the local body results have emerged as a cautionary signal.

For the Congress-led opposition, it presents an opportunity to reshape the political landscape ahead of time.

The BJP-led NDA, which currently has no representation in the 140-member Kerala Assembly, is hopeful of the historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which could yield benefits, despite the reality that they have not increased their vote share in the recent local body elections.