Last year, when the pandemic began wreaking havoc in India, people in Kerala formed a new habit. Every day at 6pm, they would gather in front of the television to listen to a man who was not known to be media-friendly. Like a disciplinarian headmaster who rarely smiled, he would give updates regarding the pandemic and the measures the state government was adopting to mitigate the crisis. He made sure that nobody in the state went hungry, asked men to support women in household chores, and even advised people to take care of stray dogs during the lockdown. He would wind up the briefing at 7pm, but in that one hour he gave Malayalis something they deeply valued during the difficult times—a sense of security.
No wonder that Kerala has re-elected him, Pinarayi Vijayan, as its chief minister for the next five years, too. Under Vijayan, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) swept the assembly polls, winning 99 of 140 seats. The Congress-led United Democratic Front bagged 41 seats, while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance drew a blank, losing even the lone assembly seat it had won in 2016. Vijayan has become the first Kerala chief minister to complete his term and win the following election.
“This election belongs to Vijayan,” said writer Paul Zacharia. “The opposition stood no chance, because people trusted him. He delivered on what he had promised and people could not imagine anybody else in that chair. Malayalis were watching what was happening in other states, and they knew they were in safe hands.”
This story is from the May 16, 2021 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 16, 2021 edition of THE WEEK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Between hospital and home
Transitional care centres can add a lot to India's health care system
EFFORT VS EFFECT
The government's attempts to ensure quality drugs is evident, but how well new policies can be monitored on the ground remains to be seen
A way to let go of fear
Accepting the use of adult diapers is a journey with various stages-denial, concealment, rejection and reluctance
Mandeeps & a miracle
Two strangers, one deadly disease and an act of kindness. How Mandeep Mann saved Mandeep Singh, an acute leukaemia patient, by donating his stem cells
The A, B, C of cosmetic surgery
Between eight to 10 lakh cosmetic surgeries happen in India every year. Who is an ideal candidate, and what are the risks and results you can expect?
Vaccines and meningitis
In sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and encompassing the northern part of Nigeria, there exists a region known as the African Meningitis Belt (AMB).
Celebrating diversity and inclusivity
As Indians battle it out in our nation's 18th general election, it is again time for voters to reflect on the \"Idea of India\"-or rather, on two duelling ideas of India that are now before us and between which the nation must choose at the ballot box.
Defendant: an Hermès handbag
When Hermès was hit with a class-action lawsuit last month for \"antitrust\" activities, it didn't see it coming. Most of the luxury world has all eyes on this suit, filed by two interested consumers who claim they were denied a purchase, and whether it would go to trial.
A legacy, bound
Amal Allana's biography of her father, Ebrahim Alkazi, is as much personal as it is historical
Cutting-edge chronicle
In his new book, Salman Rushdie's pen is mightier than the knife