Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 29 (IANS): The CPI-M's downfall began after it withdrew support to the UPA-1 government, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Wednesday.

Responding to a question on the ongoing brainstorming sessions of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) currently being held in New Delhi on reviewing their political line, Chandy first said that he will not react to another party's discussions but latched on to a question about reports that the CPI-M is thinking of a possible tie up similar to what they had with the Congress during the first UPA rule.

"They (CPI-M) thought that after they withdrew support to the first UPA government, that the government will fall. But not only did that fail, the second UPA government was also formed. The downfall of the CPI-M began after it withdrew their support to the first UPA government," he said.

Chandy also cited the famed statement of then West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu who said it was a historic blunder in 1996 when the CPI-M politburo decided against Basu becoming the prime minister at the head of the United Front government.

"The CPI-M always wakes up late and they have shown it many times," he said.

The CPI-M now has just nine members in the present Lok Sabha - five from Kerala and two each from West Bengal and Tripura.