Key changes in Kerala CPI(M): P Jayarajan, MB Rajesh and V Sivankutty inducted into state secretariat

Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby at a public rally that culminated the three-day extended session of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Committee at Kozhikode Beach on Tuesday evening.

Significant changes were brought in the state leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) in Kerala as the three-day extended state committee meeting concluded here on Tuesday.

P. Jayarajan (Kannur), V. Sivankutty (Thiruvananthapuram) and MB, Rajesh (Palakkad) will now be members of the state secretariat. John Brittas, a special invitee to the Central Committee (CC), will also be part of it.

Nine leaders will be included in the State Committee as permanent guests. They are N. Sukanya (Kannur), OS Ambika (Thiruvananthapuram), Subaida Ishaq (Palakkad), Students Federation of India (SFI) National President Adarsh ​​M. Saji, DYFI State Secretary M. Vijin, DYFI National Officer Jaick C. Thomas, SFI State President Varma M. PS Sanjeev and State Secretary Prague. Susan Kodi (Kollam), who was earlier expelled from the State Committee, will be co-opted into it. CC members TP Ramakrishnan and Thomas Isaac have been removed from the state secretariat, though they can attend its meetings.

According to party sources, the changes are part of the remedial steps envisaged by the expanded meeting of the State Committee, which was held under the supervision of the central leadership led by General Secretary MA Baby and other Polit Bureau (PB) members. The moves followed intense discussions on Sunday and Monday over a draft document tabled by party state secretary MV Govindan that suggested guidelines for reviving the party’s fortunes after the Kerala Assembly election debacle.

Members of the district secretariat and functionaries of the party’s class and mass organizations who participated in the discussions reportedly sought vigorous steps to overcome organizational weaknesses and emphasized the need to shift responsibility for the electoral defeat to the leadership.

Sources said the promotion of Mr. Jayarajan, a popular leader from Kannur who was earlier working as district secretary, was crucial. “He is considered a critical insider. The central leadership, especially PB, has now clearly indicated the need for internal criticism in the party. PB is making such interventions after a long delay,” said a party member.

Addressing the media, party state secretary MV Govindan said there was no “leadership restructuring” per se, but could be called “introduction of new faces”. The CPI(M) leader, however, refused to comment on media reports that claimed he had been “internally censored” by the central leadership. “These are organizational matters. We will go for course correction to any extent. Discussions have also taken place based on my mistakes. The party will take steps to rectify the mistakes at all levels,” Mr Govindan said.

He said course correction steps taken by party committees would be evaluated every three months. The state board would also conduct its own evaluation every six months. Extended district committee meetings will be held in all districts until October 18. After that, zonal level meetings will be held till October 25, Mr. Govindan said.

Published – 15 Sep 2026 22:12 IST