THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Marxist veteran and former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been chosen as the CPI(M) Legislature Party leader and will take on the role of Opposition Leader in the state assembly, marking a fresh chapter in his long political journey.
Interestingly, the announcement came on the same day the AICC named V D Satheesan as Kerala’s next chief minister.
Under Pinarayi’s leadership, the LDF suffered one of its worst setbacks in the 2026 assembly elections, with his party dropping to just 26 seats. While the Congress-led UDF swept to power with 102 seats, the LDF was left with only 35.
Following the heavy defeat, there was talk of a possible generational shift in party leadership, with many expecting the CPM to pick a younger face as Opposition Leader. But the party seems to have opted for Pinarayi, who is also a politburo member, valuing his stature as one of its tallest leaders in the country and his extensive experience in both the organisation and government. They believe his administrative skills and sharp political instincts will strengthen the opposition, especially against a strong chief minister like V D Satheesan.
Still, some in the Left camp worried that keeping Pinarayi could fuel public resentment, and other names, like former finance minister K N Balagopal, were also floated.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
