The Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lead the Left Democratic Front (LDF) campaign in the Kerala assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said the party will take a call on who should be the chief ministerial candidate only after the LDF emerges victorious in the polls.
Mr Baby said the CPI(M) would announce its Kerala candidates within a week. “The candidate list will be a mix of young and seasoned leaders. The party would ensure the inclusion of marginalized sections of society, including women, in the list,” he said. Asked if the caste and communal equation will affect the selection of candidates, Mr. Baby said, “Not community factors, but social factors. First of all, women are the downtrodden section,” he said.
Mr. Baby said the party strongly supports the principle of two terms for legislators. “However, the party does not rule out flexibility and exceptions, given the winnability factors in each election,” he said. Mr. Baby said the district secretariats of the CPI(M) would send their decisions to the State Secretariat and the State Committee of the party. “Some names are likely to be replaced given the underlying political realities,” he said.
In other states
Mr. Baby said the LDF will expand significantly ahead of the assembly polls in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala. “The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation and other left socialist groups will cast their lot with the LDF. Some groups will develop as components of the LDF while others will work in tandem with the front under the LDF Plus banner,” he said.
Mr Baby said the aggressive nationalism of the Hindu majority Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had spawned “minority extremist groups”, some of which “are active in Kerala”. “Both fascist-revanchist groups share a symbiotic relationship with each other, with one feeding off social insecurity caused by the other. PB has asked secular democratic forces to maintain social vigilance against such schismatic forces,” he said.
In defense of Chintha
Mr Baby defended CPI(M) leader Chinthu Jerome, who came under attack on social media for allegedly resorting to misogynistic slogans during the DYFI protest against Kerala Student Union’s protest against Health Minister Veena George. “The immature youth raised the slogan. Some elements used AI to edit the original video and make it appear as if Ms. Jerome uttered the offending words,” he said.
PB passed a resolution condemning Congress’ “physical targeting” of Ms. George. It noted that a smear campaign is underway to smear Kerala’s notorious public health system. “The disinformation campaign is part of a larger conspiracy to undermine public confidence in PHS and drive ordinary citizens into disproportionately expensive corporate healthcare,” Mr Baby said. The PB also passed a resolution condemning the Sangh Parivar’s attack on minorities and Dalits.
Published – 27 Feb 2026 21:08 IST
