Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary MA Baby on Wednesday said that the unexpectedly massive turnout of devotees at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple on Tuesday had “upset the calculations” of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), prompting an urgent scramble to manage the situation.

Speaking at the inauguration of a Left Democratic Front (LDF) convention held as part of the Kochi Corporation election campaign, Mr. Baby said that despite the sudden pressure, the TDB leadership had “been able to take control of the situation without much problems.”

According to him, the surge in pilgrim footfall was linked to the “fruitful discussions” and extensive participation witnessed at the Global Ayyappa Summit held recently in Sabarimala.

The summit, which sought to streamline pilgrimage experiences and address concerns of devotees from different parts of the world, may have contributed to the spike in arrivals during the ongoing annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, he said.

Mr Baby used the platform to highlight what he described as the achievements of the Left Front government, particularly its financial support to local self-governments.

He said that since the beginning of the second term of the Left government in 2021, local bodies had received a cumulative financial assistance of around ₹70,000 crore.

This, he claimed, stood in stark contrast to the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government, which, between 2011 and 2016, provided only ₹30,000 crore in assistance.

“This difference reflects not only the commitment but also the structural strengthening of governance at the grassroots,” he asserted.

The CPI(M) leader also accused the Union government of implementing “capitalist policies” that had negatively affected development initiatives in the State. Despite these challenges, he said, Kerala’s Left government had managed to secure gains in key sectors.

Mr Baby further noted that the State had recently promulgated laws aimed at ensuring accountability among public officials, especially concerning delays in delivering services to citizens.

According to him, this legislative shift had improved transparency and reduced bureaucratic hurdles faced by the public.

Turning to civic administration in Kochi, Mr. Baby credited the outgoing Left-led council for improvements in waste management at Brahmapuram, a site that has long been troubled by inefficiency, pollution, and periodic fires.

He said that scientific and systematic interventions implemented by the LDF had begun to transform the environmental landscape of the area.

He also cited the Samridhi@Kochi budget hotel—jointly run by the Kochi Corporation and Kudumbashree—as an example of the council’s successful and socially inclusive urban initiatives.

The facility, he said, reflected a model where civic infrastructure meets community welfare and employment generation.

The convention was attended by senior leaders, including Industries Minister P Rajeeve, Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar, and CPI(M) Ernakulam district secretary S Sathish.

The leaders collectively emphasized the continuity of development, governance reforms, and public welfare under the Left administration, positioning these achievements at the core of their campaign narrative for the upcoming local body elections.