THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM leader EP Jayarajan is all set to become the new LDF convener replacing A Vijayaraghavan who was elevated to the politburo in the recent party congress. The CPM state secretariat which met here on Monday finalised the Kannur leader as the new LDF convener. The decision will be announced after the party state committee ratifies the decision on Tuesday.
A close confidante of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Jayarajan has not been active in the state capital for sometime. A senior CPM central committee member, Jayarajan, 71, was industries minister in the first Pinarayi government. Though he had to resign following nepotism charges in 2016, he was re-inducted into the cabinet after the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau acquitted him in 2017.
Jayarajan couldn’t contest the assembly election last time after the party enforced a strict two-term norm for legislators. Following this, Jayarajan has been keeping away from the state capital and has not been active in state politics. In fact, the organisational report presented at the recent CPM state conference was critical of the state secretariat member for not functioning centred around the state capital.
The names of senior central committee members Jayarajan and A K Balan were doing the rounds for LDF convener ever since Vijayaraghavan was elected to the politburo. However, the party zeroed in on Jayarajan considering his experience and age.
P Sasi likely to be CM’s political secretary
There are indications that P Sasi, who was recently included in the state committee, would be chosen the chief minister’s political secretary. Incumbent Dinesan Puthalath is being replaced as he was elected to the party state secretariat recently.
Once a highly powerful leader in state politics, P Sasi has been out of limelight for long. He was taken back to the party state committee after 11 years, in the recent state conference. Sasi was political secretary to the then chief minister E K Nayanar from 1996 to 2001. He was expelled from the party in 2011 following allegations of sexual misconduct. He later returned to the party after the court gave him a clean chit.
The party leadership will also finalise leaders in charge of party publications. There are reports that Dinesan Puthalath could be given charge of party mouthpiece ‘Deshabhimani’. Veteran leader S Ramachandran Pillai, who recently moved out of the politburo, could be in charge of AKG Study Centre and EMS Academy. Till now, A Vijayaraghavan was in charge of these centres.
OTHER LIKELY POSTINGS
Senior leader Thomas Isaac could be given charge of Chintha Publications while young leader M Swaraj, who was inducted into the state secretariat this March, could be given charge of party’s youth organisation DYFI.