THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 24th CPM state conference has elected incumbent MV Govindan as the state secretary of the CPM in Kerala. Govindan had taken over as state secretary after incumbent Kodiyeri Balakrishnan stepped down due to ill health in August 2022. He was soon inducted into the Politburo too.

The state conference, set to conclude in Kollam today, elected the 71-year-old ex excise minister as state secretary for the coming three years. With two elections – the local body polls this year and the assembly election towards the beginning of 2026 – approaching, Govindan will have a tough task ahead. 

The state conference also elected an 89 member State committee and  17-member state secretariat. The state leadership has included more youngsters while women representation remained the same.

Ex health minister and senior women leader KK Shailaja, who’s already a central committee member, is the surprise entry into the secretariat. Two other two new faces who made it to the state secretariat include Kannur district secretary MV Jayarajan and Ernakulam district secretary CN Mohanan. Veterans AK Balan, PK Sreemathy and Anavoor Nagappan wees dropped from state secretariat.

A slew of senior leaders including AK Balan, PK Sreemathy, Anavoor Nagappan, Gopi Kottamurickal, P Nandakumar, NR Balan and MK Kannan were dropped from the state committee due to the 75-year-age cap. Similarly a few leaders could be dropped on health grounds and based on other aspects. Kollam leader Susan Kody faced the axe. 

The new faces in the state committee include Biju Kandakkai, John Brittas,  DYFI secretary VK Sanoj, president V Waseef, S Jayamohanan of Kollam, M Prakashan Master of Kannur, K Santhakumari of Palakkad, Minister R Bindu, Kochi Mayor M Anil Kumar, K Prasad of Alappuzha, TR Reghunath of Kottayam and Vamanapuram MLA DK Murali in addition to five new district secretaries  – M Rajagopal (Kasaragod), VP Anil (Malappuram), K Rafique (Wayanad), KV Abdul Khader (Thrissur) and M Mehboob (Kozhikode).