Binoy Viswam unanimously re-elected as CPI state secretary in Kerala

Kollam: Binoy Viswam has been unanimously re-elected as the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) at the party’s three-day state conference in Kollam.

The conference, which concludes on Friday with a party rally, endorsed Viswam for another term, ensuring continuity in leadership.

Viswam, a former state minister and Rajya Sabha member, assumed the role in 2023 following the sudden demise of his predecessor Kanam Rajendran. Initially appointed to fill the leadership vacuum, he has now secured full backing from the state unit.

Speaking after his re-election, Viswam, who turns 70 in November, called the conference “successful in all respects” and said the party remained united. “The party continues to be as united as ever, and the meeting gave the nod for me to continue. I have agreed to do the same,” he added.

However, the unanimity did not come without criticism. Some delegates expressed concern that CPI was being overshadowed by its larger ally, the CPI(M), which leads the ruling Left Democratic Front under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Critics argued that Viswam had not been assertive enough in countering CPI(M)’s dominance.

The party also faced criticism from outside. Senior Congress leader Cherian Philip accused CPI leaders of having become “mere tenants in the CPI(M)’s courtyard” and losing their independent political identity. He said much of the discontent within CPI was directed at Chief Minister Vijayan, with complaints over policing and governance, alongside concerns about neglecting the legacy of CPI stalwarts like former chief minister C. Achutha Menon.

Despite the criticism, Viswam’s re-election gives him a clear mandate to steer the party through upcoming local body polls and next year’s state assembly elections. How effectively he asserts CPI’s relevance within the Left bloc will be a key test of his leadership.