Kerala: CPM reorganises state secretariat after electoral defeat

The three-day CPM extended state committee meet that concluded on Tuesday took the significant decision after the meeting witnessed severe criticism against the leadership for its failure.

Former minister Thomas Isaac (left), CPM state secretary MV Govindan (centre) and Transport Minister C P John (right) during the 30th anniversary celebrations of the People’s Planning Campaign in Kerala, in Thiruvananthapuram. (File Photo | EPS)

KOZHIKODE: CPM has finally decided on a major revamp with popular faces. In what could be termed the first major corrective action after its humiliating electoral defeat, the CPM has reconstituted its state secretariat with three new faces which are veteran Kannur leader P Jayarajan, ex-minister MB Rajesh, and senior leader from the state capital, V Sivankutty.

However, senior leaders TM Thomas Isaac and LDF convener TP Ramakrishnan were dropped from the panel.

The three-day CPM extended state committee meet that concluded on Tuesday took the significant decision after the meeting witnessed severe criticism against the leadership for its failure.

The committee decided to censure state secretary MV Govindan. The secretary had come under severe criticism within the party for the electoral failure. Candidate selection at party strongholds of Thaliparamba and Payyannoor has also drawn flak.

Kannur leader P Jayarajan has come to the secretariat after being sidelined for a long time. Though his name has been doing the rounds to be inducted into the secretariat a couple of times, the official leadership was not in favour. Jayarajan'a induction could will be an indication of the party finally listening to the people and it's cadres.

Similarly, MB Rajesh, a leader with a clean image, has been widely expected to figure in the secretariat at the last state conference. However, when Rajesh was serving as the assembly speaker, his name was not considered in 2022. Even when his name came up at the 2025 state conference again, he was not considered.

Rajesh was then sidelined while his contemporaries KN Balagopal and P Rajeeve made it into the secretariat and central committee. Even juniors like MM Swaraj and Mohammed Riyaz were inducted into the secretariat.

V Sivankutty's elevation to the top panel was expected as he's one of the most popular mass leaders in the state capital.

The extended committee decided to bring in fresh faces to the state committee, too. Young leader Jaick C Thomas and OS Ambika of Attingal were among those who made it into the panel.