Communists crumble in key state elections

KOLKATA (Reuters) - The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left parties on Tuesday lost key seats in elections held in two of their heartland states, weakening them further and paving the way for the ruling Congress government to speed up reforms.

In West Bengal, ruled by the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government, the Trinamool Congress, an ally of the ruling Congress party, won seven of 10 by-elections, while the Congress won one.

In Kerala, the Congress party won by-elections held in all three seats, defeating the communists.

"The weakening of the left will make it more easy for the Congress-led government in New Delhi to carry out its economic reforms," said Abhirup Sarkar, an economist with the Indian Statistical Institute.

"The job becomes easier for the government."

The communists provided crucial support for the earlier Congress-led federal government from outside, allowing stakes sales in some state-run firms but blocking reforms in the insurance, pension and banking sectors.

They withdraw support last year over a civilian nuclear deal signed with the United States.

In this year's April/May parliamentary polls, the communists won just 24 parliamentary seats, down from 60 earlier.

Experts said an aggressive land acquisition drive for industry in West Bengal has seen the left alienate rural voters -- the backbone of its support for decades -- and send them into the folds of the opposition Trinamool Congress.