First signs of dissent against Kerala CM Vijayan emerge post CPI-M state conference

The newly constituted 89-member state committee, featuring 17 fresh faces, and the 17-member state secretariat are overwhelmingly composed of Vijayan loyalists. Those out of favour with the Chief Minister have been sidelined.

M. Padmakumar, a former party legislator and ex-president of the Travancore Devaswom Board, publicly expressed his displeasure on social media over the inclusion of State Health Minister Veena George in the state committee as an invitee. George, from Pathanamthitta district, has been in the party for just nine years, while Padmakumar has been a party member for five decades.

Though he initially withdrew his post after it gained traction, he reiterated his discontent on Monday morning and announced his resignation from all party positions.

Reacting to the development, Pathanamthitta district CPI-M secretary Raju Abraham defended George’s inclusion, citing a precedent where former Minister C. Raveendranath (2016-21) was also invited to the committee despite not being a full member. "I don’t know why he decided to step down. We spoke, and he said he will discuss it further. The matter will be taken up by our district committee in the presence of state leaders," Abraham said.

Signs of discontent are also emerging from Kannur, Vijayan’s home turf. P. Jayarajan, one of the district’s most prominent leaders, was overlooked for the state secretariat, while his junior colleague, M.V. Jayarajan -- a former legislator and Vijayan’s ex-political secretary --secured a spot.

Jayarajan’s son took to social media, subtly indicating that his father’s exclusion was not unexpected. Notably, every former Kannur district secretary had been inducted into the state secretariat -- except Jayarajan.

Former Minister and senior leader J. Mercykutty appears to be holding back her disappointment over being excluded from the state secretariat. Other sidelined figures include senior legislator and ex-Minister Kadakampally Surendran and State Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh.

Even the Thiruvananthapuram district CPI-M unit is reportedly upset, as none of its leaders have made it to the state secretariat.

A political observer, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the conference outcome cements Vijayan’s dominance over the party, just as in the government.

“The new faces clearly indicate that anyone not in the good books of State Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas (Vijayan’s son-in-law) has been left out. It’s evident what Vijayan, who will soon turn 80, is planning,” the critic said.

Riyas’ political ascent has been remarkable since his marriage to Vijayan’s daughter during the Covid-19 pandemic. He won his debut Assembly election in 2021, was appointed as a Minister, and just three years later, was inducted into the state secretariat, bypassing several senior leaders.

With Padmakumar firing the first salvo and murmurs of discontent growing, all eyes are now on Vijayan.