CPIM reinstates Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as Kerala state secretary

Senior CPIM leader and Politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan have been reinstated as the party's Kerala state secretary. The party-state secretariat, which met on Friday, gave its nod for Kodiyeri's return.

Kodiyeri had taken leave of absence from the party last November against the backdrop of the raging controversy over the arrest of his son Bineesh Kodiyeri by the Enforcement Directorate, though both the party and Kodiyeri cited his health condition as the reason for his sick leave.

Since the state was gearing for local body polls at the time, there was a general feeling that Kodiyeri should step down for the time being in order to avoid needless controversies. Left Front convener A Vijayaraghavan was officiating as party state secretary in charge during this period.

Although he took leave from the post, the reins of the party were in his hand all this time. His words were crucial in the left front meetings and in the policy decisions of the party

Later, though his health improved, Bineesh Kodiyeri continuing in jail had been a hindrance for his comeback. Last month, Bineesh got bail in the narcotics case. Following this, there was speculation that Kodiyeri would be reinstated very soon.

Though it was expected that the decision would be made at the state committee meeting in the first week of November, it got delayed. The Politburo also gave its nod for Kodiyeri's return before the state conference next March.

With party district conferences set to begin on December 10, it was certain that Kodiyeri would resume charge this week itself as media quoted party leaders saying that it is necessary to have a permanent secretary as party conventions were going on.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai High Court has posted for January 4 the case of a DNA test result of Binoy Kodiyeri, the elder son of the Kodiyeri, who was alleged by a woman from Bihar that Binoy had a relationship with her while she was working at a dance bar in Dubai in 2008 in which they have an eight-year-old child.

According to the women till 2015, Binoy used to send her money every month.

The woman had first filed a petition in 2019 and in July 2019 Binoy approached the Mumbai High Court seeking dismissal of the rape case filed by the woman. The court asked all three to go for a DNA test and Binoy appeared for it on July 30, 2019.

Following which the case went into limbo. In December 2020 the DNA result was filed before the court on a sealed cover and on Thursday the woman approached the court wanting to know the result. The court has now posted this case for January 4.

The news about Binoy has come at a time when the CPI-M, ahead of the party-state conference scheduled for early next year, wanted Balakrishnan to take over.