QUESTIONS OVER RECOVERY NATURE

Private Final Consumption Expenditure was still in contraction (2.4%), while corporate profits continue to soar. This is in keeping with fears of recovery not being broad based

The index of eight core sector industries grew at just 0.1% in January

If the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or the CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) fails to retain the state of Kerala, it will mark a new low in the Left’s declining fortunes in Indian politics. Ever since it captured power in West Bengal in 1977, the CPI(M) has always led a state government in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura since then. With the CPI(M) staring at irrelevance in West Bengal and marginalisation in Tripura, Kerala is the only bastion left. To be sure, Kerala has alternated between the LDF and UDF since 1980. The LDF’S rout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections – it won just one of the 20 Lok Sabha seats – suggested an imminent defeat for the CPI(M) in 2021. However, a bounce-back in the local body polls held in December 2020 have raised the CPI(M)’S hopes about its chances.