Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and leaders from Kannur have secured key positions, reaffirming the district’s stronghold in party affairs. MV Govindan has been formally elected as the state secretary, a position he has held since August 2022 following the passing of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Published Mar 09, 2025 | 7:39 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 09, 2025 | 7:39 PM
Synopsis: The CPI(M) has reshuffled its leadership in Kerala, unveiling an 89-member state committee with 17 new faces. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other key figures from Kannur have secured influential positions in the 17-member state secretariat, with MV Govindan formally elected as state secretary.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has reshuffled its Kerala leadership, unveiling an 89-member state committee with 17 new faces.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and leaders from Kannur have secured key positions, reaffirming the district’s stronghold in party affairs. MV Govindan has been formally elected as the state secretary, a position he has held since August 2022 following the passing of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Kannur continues to dominate the party’s decision-making body, with five of its leaders securing positions in the 17-member state secretariat.
Alongside Vijayan and Govindan, the secretariat includes central committee members EP Jayarajan, KK Shailaja, and Kannur district secretary MV Jayarajan. With Jayarajan’s promotion, the party will need a new district secretary for Kannur.
CN Mohanan, previously the Ernakulam district secretary, has also been elevated to the secretariat, necessitating a replacement in his district.
Other prominent leaders in the secretariat include TM Thomas Isaac, TP Ramakrishnan, KN Balagopal, P Rajeev, KK Jayachandran, VN Vasavan, Saji Cherian, M Swaraj, PA Mohammed Riyas, PK Biju, and Puthalath Dineshan.
The new state committee includes 17 fresh faces, among them Rajya Sabha member John Brittas, who was previously a special invitee.
Other new entrants are Biju Kandakkai, M Rajagopal, K Rafeeq, M Mahaboob, VP Anil, KV Abdul Khader, M Prakashan Master, VK Sanoj, V Vaseef, K Shanthakumari, R Bindu, M Anil Kumar, K Prasad, TR Raghunath, S Jayamohan, and DK Murali.
Ministers from the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet have also secured state committee positions, with higher education minister R Bindu and Kongad legislator K Shanthakumari being the only two women among the new inductees.
Health minister Veena George, while not included in the committee, has been inducted as a special invitee.
Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram has lost representation in the secretariat following the exclusion of senior leader Anavoor Nagappan.
Senior members AK Balan, PK Sreemathy, and Anavoor Nagappan have all stepped down due to the party’s age restrictions. As did party veterans veterans S Sarma and P Nandakumar.
Former speaker P Sreeramakrishnan has also stepped down citing health reasons.
Meanwhile, a key removal was that of Susan Kody, president of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, reportedly due to internal conflicts in Karunagappally.
Discontent over the extensive changes surfaced when former Travancore Devaswom Board president and CPI(M) Pathanamthitta district secretariat member A Padmakumar seemed to express disappointment over being left out of the state committee.
During the state conference, Padmakumar posted a cryptic message on social media, sharing his own picture with the caption:
“Deception, betrayal, insult—balance sheet of 52 years. Lal Salam.”
He later deleted the post and in an interview with an online channel, he confirmed his dissatisfaction, but clarified that he had no issues with the inclusion of Health Minister Veena George as a special invitee.
Padmakumar asserted that parliamentary activities should not be the sole criterion for selecting committee members and stated that he intends to seek an explanation from MV Govindan regarding his exclusion.
Also Read: CPI(M)’s ‘Nava Kerala Rekha’ signals significant policy shift
MV Govindan, addressing the media after his election, said the party will witness a “political shift” in Kerala.
He assured that the policy proposals presented by Pinarayi Vijayan at the state conference, formulated through broad consultations, will be implemented without bias.
Acknowledging challenges in the welfare sector, he pledged maximum support to the people. He emphasised that the role of the state secretary carries immense responsibility and vowed to lead the party through a collective leadership approach.
Govindan’s formal election is seen as recognition of his leadership over the past two and a half years, during which he upheld the party’s image without putting the government on the defensive.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
