Left Democratic Front

Left Democratic Front
ഇടതുപക്ഷ ജനാധിപത്യ മുന്നണി
AbbreviationLDF
LeaderPinarayi Vijayan
(Chief Minister of Kerala)
ChairpersonT. P. Ramakrishnan
Lok Sabha LeaderK. Radhakrishnan
Rajya Sabha LeaderJohn Brittas
FoundersP. K. Vasudevan Nair
E. M. S. Namboodiripad
Founded1979 (1979)
Membership (2024) 6,590,526
Political positionLeft-wing[A]
Colours  Red
Lok Sabha
1 / 20
Rajya Sabha
6 / 9
Kerala Legislative Assembly
98 / 140
Gram Panchayats
514 / 941
Panchayat Samitis
108 / 152
Zilla Parishads
11 / 14
Municipalities
43 / 86
Website
ldf.in

^ A: The Front is described as a broad left-wing alliance, with centre-left and far-left factions.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) is an alliance of left-wing political parties led by Communist Party of India (Marxist) in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the current ruling political alliance of Kerala, since 2016. It is one of the two major political alliances in Kerala, the other being Indian National Congress-led United Democratic Front, each of which has been in power alternately for the last four decades. LDF has won the elections to the State Legislature of Kerala in the years 1980, 1987, 1996, 2006, 2016 and had a historic re-election in 2021 where an incumbent government was re-elected for first time in 40 years. LDF has won 6 out of 10 elections since the formation of the alliance in 1980. The alliance consists of CPI(M), CPI and various smaller parties.

LDF has been in power in the State Legislature of Kerala under E. K. Nayanar (1980–81, 1987–91, 1996–2001), V. S. Achuthanandan (2006-11), Pinarayi Vijayan (2016–current). E. K. Nayanar served as the Chief Minister of Kerala for 11 years and later became the longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala.

The alliance led by Pinarayi Vijayan returned to power in 2016 Assembly Election winning 91 out of 140 seats and further increasing its tally to 99 seats in the 2021 Assembly Election. Pinarayi Vijayan became the first Chief minister of Kerala to be re-elected after completing a full term (five years) in office after a historic election in 2021 where an incumbent government was re-elected for the first time in 40 years.