Lok Sabha Elections 2019: As the country gears up for the much-awaited 17th Lok Sabha Elections results on May 23, several exit polls have predicted on how the electorates have voted in the seven phased elections. If exit polls are to be believed, Left parties across the country might witness worst performance in the history of Lok Sabha Elections in the country. ABP Exit Poll along with several other exit polls is hinting towards a debacle for the Left Front, with party nearly facing a wipe out in West Bengal where it had won two out of the total 42 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls. Even in Kerala, where the Left Democratic Alliance is in power, exit polls say that the party will come down to two to three seats out of the total 20 seats.

Exit polls predicted 14-16 seats for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, 4-6 seats for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and one seat for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Communist party of India (Marxist) or CPM, which is the largest party in the Left front might witness a massive electoral decline during this elections.

What comes as a surprise is that fact that Left front might not open its account in West Bengal, a state which was ruled by the Left front for over 3 decades. “It is very clear that an opposition front and its strategy can only be formed after the election results on May 23. One thing is clear that a secular, alternative government will be formed at the Centre. Who will make it and how will it be created will be decided after the results,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters.

CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said that they would sit in Opposition if no party gets a clear majority. "We have our national executive on May 27-28. We will not take any decision before that. If no party gets a majority, we will sit in the opposition," he said.

CPI national secretary D Raja conceded that this could be the Left's worst poll performance in years. "What role we will play will be decided post May 23," he said. Even in 2018 Assembly Elections in Tripura, the CPM lost ground after ruling the state for almost 25 years. The party also witnessed their worst performance in West Bengal Assembly Polls back in 2016.

CPM managed to register victory on nine seats across the country in 2014 general elections. In 2009, it won 16 seats. It had also witnessed a decline in its vote share from 5.33 per cent in 2009 to just 3.2 per cent in 2014. CPI which is the second largest party of the Left front has only one member in the Lok Sabha.