Kannur (Kerala), March 14 (IANS) With the CPI-M’s new state Committee and the state Secretariat in Kerala finalised on March 9, coinciding with the state party conference, by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, all eyes are on who’s going to be the next Kannur district Secretary.
Kannur is home to Vijayan and numerous other top brass of the CPI-M besides being the place which has the highest number of party workers and hence, the district Secretary is a key appointment.
In the new committee of the state unit, 17 new faces were included in the 89-member state Committee and 17-member state Secretariat, and all were hardcore close aides of Vijayan.
The inclusion of incumbent Kannur district Secretary M.V.Jayarajan into the Secretariat means a new district Secretary has to be now appointed.
Among the names that have started taking the rounds include P. Jayarajan, former legislator T.V. Rajesh, Vijayan’s political secretary P. Sasi, while P. Sukanya could perhaps be a dark horse.
With Vijayan able to settle the selection of the committee’s with ease, it has to be seen if he can with ease select the next Secretary as P. Jayarajan, one of the most popular leaders in Kannur, is already miffed at not being inducted into the Secretariat while his junior M.V. Jayarajan was.
Though P. Jayarajan never expressed his displeasure on being not selected, his son’s social media post revealed his mind and that as he fast approaching 75, his last chance to be in the secretariat has now disappeared.
A political observer said that Vijayan has once again established himself as the supreme leader in the CPI-M and hence, he will ensure that he will not allow any dissent.
“With the party firmly under his belt, he will be easily able to quell any discontentment within the party and it’s most unlikely that P. Jayarajan will be made the new district Secretary,” the observer said.
With Vijayan turning 80 in two months but being the only Chief Minister of the CPI-M in the country, he has already been given an exemption from the age limit and will continue to be in the Politburo as long as he holds the CM’s post, even when all others have to retire from party posts at age 75.
–IANS
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