NO SURPRISES, GOVINDAN TO CONTINUE AS CPM STATE SECY

The 24th CPM state conference will go down in Kerala's history as the party meet where the CPM made a capitalistic shift in its approach towards private capital.

- ANIL S @Kollam

The state conference witnessed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pitching for a New Kerala, with plans to attract private capital even in public sector units.

That is in addition to an array of resource mobilisation moves aimed at countering the state's financial restraints.

On the organisational front, there were no major surprises as incumbent state secretary M V Govindan continues in the post.

This is the first time Govindan is being elected through a party conference, for he had taken over as the state chief when Kodiyeri Balakrishnan stepped down due to ill health in August 2022.

With back-to-back elections approaching, it is going to be a challenging second term for the 71-year-old leader.

The ideological face of the party, Govindan is known for his firm handling of inner-party affairs.

The relatively uneventful meet which saw the delegates unitedly showering praise on Pinarayi once again underscores the Kannur strongman as the party's sole leader, both at the state and national levels.

The conference not just reiterated his supremacy in the party but reconfirmed that, in all likelihood, he will be leading the party in the next assembly polls too.

Speaking to TNIE, Govindan made it clear that a third term for the LDF is the prime goal before the party.

The state conference which concluded in Kollam on Sunday also elected an 89-member state committee and a 17-member state secretariat.

Going by the precedent set last time, the state leadership has infused more young blood.

Women's representation too went up by one.

Higher Education Minister R Bindu, Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar and MLAs M Rajagopal (Trikaripur), K Santhakumari (Kongad) and D K Murali (Vamanapuram) are among the 17 fresh faces in the state committee.

Health Minister Veena George has been made a permanent invitee to the state committee.