Dr Sarath Sasikumar With the recent defeat of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, many commentators have argued that India has entered an era in which the Left is no longer a serious political force. Considering the strong social base and organisational strength that the LDF still enjoys in Kerala, and the lively movements that the Left parties have been leading in different parts of the country, it is not difficult to see that such commentaries are mostly wishful thin