Kerala's political landscape crackled with tension Saturday as Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan delivered a stunning accusation: Independent MLA V. Kunhikrishnan, once a CPI(M) stalwart, had actively conspired with the party's enemies to orchestrate its defeat in Payyannur. Speaking at a party meeting analyzing their shocking electoral loss, Vijayan framed the outcome as betrayal rather than mere political shift.

Key facts

  • V. Kunhikrishnan was expelled from CPI(M) after raising corruption allegations
  • He won the Payyannur seat as an Independent backed by the UDF alliance
  • CPI(M)'s vote share plummeted from 62% (2021) to 44% (2026)
  • Approximately 18% of previous CPI(M) supporters abandoned the party

A Stronghold Shattered

Payyannur wasn't supposed to fall. This northern Kerala constituency had long been considered CPI(M) bedrock, where red flags flew confidently and party loyalty ran deep. That's what made the Assembly election results so jarring. The numbers tell a brutal story: the Left's support evaporated like monsoon rain on hot asphalt. Nearly one in five traditional voters walked away.

The Anatomy of Defeat

Vijayan's analysis went beyond typical post-election excuses. He described a calculated undermining from within—a former leader using his insider knowledge to dismantle the very organization he once served. "What happened here," Vijayan told the gathered party members, his words measured but sharp, "is that there were people who, while remaining part of the party, played into the hands of its opponents."

"While being at the leadership level of the party, efforts were made to destroy the party's credibility and alliances were established with the party's enemies."

The accusation lands like a thunderclap in Kerala's highly charged political atmosphere. Vijayan didn't just allege disloyalty; he framed Kunhikrishnan as becoming an "axe-handle in the hands of the enemy"—a tool willingly used to chop at the party's foundations.

Looking Forward

Despite the bitterness of the accusations, Vijayan struck a note of determination. The party, he said, would take "necessary steps to regain the trust" of those who had drifted away. But first, they must reckon with how a trusted comrade became their most effective adversary—and how to prevent such erosion from happening again.