Kerala CPI(M) Braces For Social Media Battle, Boosts Legal Cell To Check Misinformation, Fake News

(MENAFN- IANS) Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 13 (IANS) Stung by its crushing defeat in the April Assembly elections and facing a series of fresh political and legal challenges, the CPI(M) has decided to fight back on a front where it once enjoyed considerable advantage -- the social media.

The party is readying itself with a new age special legal cell, backed by experts across the state, to tackle any fake news, defamatory campaigns and allegations targeting the party and its leaders.

It has also formed a special team of Right to Information activists to keep a close tab on the V.D. Satheesan government through interventions under the RTI Act.

The move comes at a difficult time for the party, which suffered one of the biggest setbacks in its history when the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by Pinarayi Vijayan, was reduced to just 35 seats in the 140-member Assembly.

The defeat ended its hopes of creating history by retaining power for a third consecutive term.

The LDF won 99 seats in the 2021 elections, and ended up with just 35 seats in 2026.

The electoral setback has been followed by mounting pressure on Vijayan, with Enforcement Directorate proceedings involving him and his daughter, besides his son-in-law and CPI(M) legislator P.A. Mohammed Riyas.

Fresh allegations and probes announced by the new government have also added to the party's troubles.

Though there has been no open rebellion against Vijayan within the party, the defeat and the developments that followed have raised questions about his once-unchallenged grip over the organisation.

There is a growing sense of unease within the party, even if it has not translated into any public challenge to his leadership.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, meanwhile, has been pushing ahead with investigations into several controversies involving the previous government, including the Public Service Commission (PSC) recruitment scandal, the Messi episode and alleged irregularities in the health sector.

With the BJP winning three seats in the Kerala Assembly, the CPI(M) appears to be particularly concerned about the growing influence of social media in shaping public opinion.

Ironically, the party had once used these platforms with considerable success to build Vijayan's image and reach out to voters.

Now, with criticism and allegations spreading rapidly through the same platforms, the party seems determined to meet the challenge with an organised legal response.

The new cell signals that the CPI(M) is preparing for a battle not just in the political arena, but also in the digital space.

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