THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Organisational weakness and overconfidence were among the key reasons behind the LDF’s setback in the recently concluded local body elections, CPM leaders observed at the two-day state committee meeting that began on Sunday. They said this prevented the benefits of the LDF government’s good governance from effectively reaching the public.

The party leadership was criticised for its failure to take timely disciplinary action against Pathanamthitta district committee member and former Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar, an accused in the Sabarimala gold theft case.

“The UDF’s campaign against CPM’s laxity in acting against accused leaders, despite two of them being in SIT custody, created distrust among voters,” a leader said. However, many others maintained that the Sabarimala episode had little impact in the Malabar region. “Instead, there was a strong anti-incumbency factor against several local self governments. The party failed to address the issue. Leaders and lower committees were overconfident,” another leader said.

The organisational weakness of the CPM reflected in the setback in many districts. Leaders noted that wherever the party effectively countered the BJP’s campaign against the CPM and the LDF government, the saffron party failed to make much inroads.