THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary MV Govindan has been inducted into the party Politburo in place of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who passed away recently. The ongoing three-day party central committee meet which concludes today, took a decision to induct Govindan into the highest body in the CPM.
"The CPM unanimously took a decision to induct MV Govindan into the Politburo," said CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury. At the PB meeting, it was Yechury who proposed Govindan's name.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, MA Baby and A Vijayaraghavan are the other Politburo members from Kerala CPM.
"The responsibilty entrusted by the party - as state secretary and Politburo member - will be carried out through collective action," Govindan responded after being selected to PB.
Govindan took over as party state secretary on August 28 after incumbent Kodiyeri stepped down due to Ill health. Govindan was serving as the Kerala's local self-government minister when the CPM chose him to lead the party.
A true proletarian, Govindan was elevated to the top party post in the state as the fifth person from Kannur -- after E K Nayanar, Chadayan Govindan, Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan -- to do so.
Born in Morazha in 1953, Govindan has occupied the top echelons of the party, both at the district and state levels, fulfilling the task of imparting ideological interpretations to justify the party position for the cadre.
MV Govindan started his political life as a Balasangham worker during his school days. Fighting all odds, he carried on as a staunch party loyalist in various capacities. He was the district secretary and the president of KSYF, the then youth organisation of the CPM. When the DYFI was formed in 1980, Govindan was elected as the first state president of the organisation. Later, he was elected as the secretary of DYFI too.
During the dark days of the emergency, he was arrested and jailed for four months, and subjected to police brutality.
Later as he became more active in politics, he resigned from his job as a physical education teacher at Iringal UP School in 1991. A three-time MLA from Taliparamba -- in 1996, 2001 and 2021 -- Govindan led the Kannur district unit of the CPM from 2002 to 2006. Elected to the state committee in 1991, he was elevated to the state secretariat in 2006. In 2018, he was elected to the central committee too.
When the party was in the doldrums in Ernakulam due to groupism, he was given charge of the district and he did his job quite effectively. In 2018, he was elected to the central committee too. Coming from a humble background, as the son of K Kunhambu and M V Madhavi, Govindan overcame a lack of exposure during the early days through extensive reading.
Now, he's one of the leading orators and a much sought-after tactician. His stature as an ideologue prompted the party to appoint him as the chief editor of the party daily, Desabhimani. Govindan is married to P K Shyamala, former chairperson of Anthur municipality and CPM Kannur district committee member.