The Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has lost power in Kerala, ending the last remaining state ruled by a Communist-led government in India.

The setback means that, for the first time since around 1970, no Left party holds office in any Indian state. It is a symbolic and political blow for a movement that once shaped governance in multiple regions.

The defeat comes on the back of a weak showing in West Bengal for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), where the Left has struggled to remain relevant in recent elections.

From dominance to decline in key states

The Left’s decline has been long and steady rather than sudden.…