For almost a decade, Kerala had seen a decline in large-scale protests by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPI(M). This was due to the Left Democratic Front’s stable rule under Pinarayi Vijayan. However, with the recent change in power to the UDF led by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, protests have resurfaced in Kerala.
The youth and student wings of the CPI(M) have been actively protesting across the state, leading to clashes with the police. These protests were triggered by allegations of corruption in the UDF government’s decision to provide tax concessions to liquor companies. The CPI(M) State Secretariat’s statement was the catalyst for these demonstrations.
The protests by DYFI activists marked the first coordinated statewide agitation by the CPI(M)’s youth wing since their defeat in the elections. The mobilization of the Left’s protest machinery, which had been relatively inactive during their time in power, indicates a shift towards a more aggressive opposition stance. Activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) also joined in, protesting against steep fee hikes in cooperative educational institutions.
Political observers see these protests as the beginning of a potentially robust opposition campaign against the current government. The CPI(M) has been closely monitoring the actions of the new government since the UDF’s victory. The return of DYFI to the streets signifies a revival of opposition politics after a decade in power.
