As Left faces rout in Kerala, for the first time since 1977, India won't have a Communist government in any state

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led government in Kerala is on its way out, as early election results indicate the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) reclaiming power in the state. The CPIM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), which had been in power in Kerala for two consecutive terms since 2016, is trailing badly. With the UDF leading in close to 90 out of the 140 seats, well past the majority mark on 71, the CPIM is set to lose what was long described as the Left's ‘last bastion’.

Left's last bastion

The southern state, Kerala, which in 1957 elected the world's first democratically chosen Communist government, continued to back the Left even after other strongholds like West Bengal and Tripura fell. With Kerala too slipping away, this will be the first time since 1977 that no state in India is led by a Communist government.

Left rule in West Bengal

The CPIM came to power in West Bengal in 1977 and ruled the state for 34 consecutive years till 2011, with Jyoti Basu as the Chief Minister for over 23 consecutive years from 21 June 1977 to 6 November 2000, followed by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee from 2000 to 2011.

Since being ousted from power in 2011, the CPIM has failed to make a meaningful comeback in West Bengal and is leading in just one seat in the 2026 Assembly elections in the state.

What happened to Left parties in Tripura

Another state where the CPIM had absolute control for a very long time was neighbouring Tripura, where the Left was in power from 1978 to 1988 and again from 1993 to 2018. The party had three Chief Ministers: Nripen Chakraborty (1978–1988), Dasarath Deb (1993–1998) and Manik Sarkar (1998–2018).

Similar to West Bengal, after being voted out of power, the Left has largely been sidelined in Tripura, with the CPI (M) reduced to just 11 seats in the 60-member Legislative Assembly.

As far as Kerala is concerned, the Left was in power in Kerala from 1957–1959, 1967–1969, 1969–1977, 1980–1981, 1996–2001, 2006–2011, and 2016–2021, with EK Nayanar serving as the CM for three terms, while EMS Namboothiripad and incumbent Pinarayi Vijayan served two terms each.

Left parties have also been part of the ruling coalitions in states, including Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Maharashtra. In the past, Left parties also had a notable electoral presence in several other states, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and the undivided Andhra Pradesh. But in recent years, their electoral presence has been decreasing.