Kochi : The epitome of valor and leadership, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has once again been elected as CPI(M) State Secretary. The ongoing CPI(M) State Conference in Kochi re-conferred Kodiyeri the top post on the culmination day Friday. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury announced Kodiyeri as the new State Secretary, elected unanimous. This is the third time straight that Kodiyeri heads CPI(M) as its State Secretary.
The 70-year-old communist veteran is Polit Bureau member and Chief Editor of Deshabhimani. Kodiyeri’s first appointment as State Secretary came in 2015, when the State Conference in Alappuzha elected him to the post left vacant by Pinarayi Vijayan. Later the 2018 State Sammelanam held in Thrissur too elected Kodiyeri as the State Secretary. In 2020, he kept out of duties for an year owing to illness. A. Vijayaraghavan served as Acting Secretary during that time.
The conference also elected 88-member State Committee and 17-member Secretariat.
The new State Committee comprises 16 new faces namely : MM Varghese, AV Rasal, AN Sureshbabu, CV Varghese, Panoli Vatsan, Raju Ibrahim, AA Rahim, VV Sanu, DR. KN Ganesh, KS Saliqh, KK Lathika, P Sasi, K Anilkumar, V Joy, OR Kelu, Dr. Chinta Gerome. 12 members were exited from the committee. They are : P Karunakaran, Vaikom Viswan, Anathalavattom Anandan, KJ Thomas, MM Mani, M Chandran, K Ananth Gopan, R Unnikrishnan Pillai, G Sudhakaran, Koliyakode Krishnan Nair, CP Nrayanan and James Mathew.
Climbing his way through student politics, Kodiyeri is noted as a brilliant organiser and for his excellent leadership abilities. With a proven track record as exemplary parliamentarian and outstanding leader, Kodiyeri functioned as party’s state secretary with unparalleled expertise. Kodiyeri proved his mettle carrying forward the party collectively and unified, defeating enemy camp assaults on the party and defending against tirade of false media propaganda.
