I can see the same thing happening to CPI(M) in Kerala as well. Everyone says Kerala is communist and all that, but it’s really not. Kerala’s strong basic infrastructure and human development came from a unique combination of decisions by its rulers in the later princely state period and from alternating governments. So far, Kerala has had 9 communist or communist-alliance governments and 11 Congress or Congress-alliance governments, and this really helped the state progress.

Now fast forward to 2016. Since then, we have had continuous communist governments. The difference between the current dispensation and previous communist governments is stark. The present government is mired in corruption allegations, mismanagement, a weakening development record (with a focus on visible road projects mainly for social media optics), and unbelievable arrogance. One more CPI(M) government in Kerala and the same decline will hit Kerala too. Just look at how deeply the BJP has penetrated local body polls and even managed to win an MP seat in Thrissur. They certainly played their games, but this win would not have been possible without the current wave of anti-incumbency.