Kerala’s CPI-M has effected a generational change in its leadership, withthe state party conference deciding to exclude all those who have completed 75 years of age from the state secretariat and filling those slots with young blood.
Only Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is past 75, gets an exemption, pointing to his continued stranglehold over the party. V S Achuthanandan, the only living party founder and close to turning 100 within a couple of years, has been retained as special invitee, although age-related health issues have kept him mostly confined to bed.
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan retained his job as the state party secretary for a third term. Balakrishnan had taken ‘leave’for a year for treatment as well as due to embarrassment overhis son’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering. He resumed his duty after his son got out on bail.
Notable exclusions from the secretariat, the highest decision making body of the state party, include veteran leader G Sudhakaran, aniconof the party inthe strategically important Alappuzha region, P Jayarajan, once the key face of the party in the so-called Kannur lobby.
Former Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, whose name figured in the gold smuggling scandal involving Swpna Suresh, has also been kept out. The additions include ministers Mohammed Riaz, the son-in-law of the chief minister, Saji Cherian, VN Vasavan, former DYFI state secretary M Swaraj, former SFI national president PK Biju, among others. A controversial inclusion is that of P K Sasi, who once faced party disciplinary action in connection with an alleged case of sexual misconduct.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented a vision document for a ‘New Kerala’, which includes controversial proposals for the acceptance of investment and loans as well as changes to militant trade union practices for the sake of the state’s development.
