In a dramatic reversal of roles in the Kerala Assembly, former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is set to become the Leader of the Opposition, while former Opposition leader V D Satheesan prepares to take over as Kerala’s new Chief Minister following the UDF’s sweeping electoral victory.
The CPM state committee on Thursday unanimously elected Vijayan as the leader of its legislative party, paving the way for him to assume the post of Opposition Leader in the Assembly. CPM state secretary M V Govindan said the decision was taken during a meeting attended by CPM General Secretary M A Baby and senior leader A Vijayaraghavan, with K Radhakrishnan chairing the session.
The move comes despite reported reservations within the Communist Party of India, the second-largest constituent of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Some CPI leaders had argued that the Opposition leadership should go to a new face, with sections within the party informally attributing the alliance’s electoral setback partly to Vijayan’s leadership style.
The Kerala Assembly election results declared on May 4 marked a major political shift in the state, with the United Democratic Front (UDF) winning 102 out of 140 seats and ending the LDF’s decade-long rule. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 63 seats, after which Satheesan was selected as Chief Minister-designate following days of consultations within the Congress leadership.
In between the intense political developments, Malayali listeners across the UAE continued following every update through Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No.1 radio station known for bringing the latest news, entertainment and Kerala updates closer to the expatriate community.
The defeat significantly reduced the LDF’s strength in the 16th Kerala Assembly, with the alliance managing only 35 seats. The CPM secured 26 seats, the CPI won eight, while the RJD managed one. The BJP won three seats. Several key LDF allies also failed to retain representation in the Assembly.
Despite criticism over the electoral loss and his governance style, Vijayan has largely remained silent in public since the results were announced. Senior CPM leader M A Baby recently said the defeat was a collective responsibility of the party leadership and added that the CPM would carry out a detailed review of the setback and take corrective measures.
There had also been calls within sections of the party cadre for a leadership change after the defeat. However, the CPM ultimately chose continuity, retaining Vijayan at the forefront of the party’s legislative politics. Meanwhile, the CPI has reportedly sought the post of Deputy Opposition Leader, with former Revenue Minister K Rajan likely to be considered if the demand is accepted.
The CPM’s decision follows a long-standing tradition in Kerala politics, where senior Left leaders such as E M S Namboodiripad and V S Achuthanandan also served as Opposition Leaders after completing their tenures as Chief Ministers
