Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18 For nearly three decades, Pinarayi Vijayan has been the be-all and end-all of Kerala’s CPI(M) -- first as a formidable organisation man and later as an unchallenged administrator.
His iron grip over both party and government was not forged overnight. It took shape after he became state secretary in 1998, when the cadre-based party was methodically brought under his control.
That dominance deepened after 2016, when Vijayan outmanoeuvred V.S. Achuthanandan -- the Left’s principal vote-catcher at the time -- and assumed office as Chief Minister.
While Achuthanandan carried the electoral campaign, power decisively shifted into Vijayan’s hands. What followed was an unprecedented consolidation, with the party, government, and coalition revolving around a single pole.
From the moment he took office until the recent setback in the local body elections, Vijayan appeared beyond reproach. Neither within the CPI(M) nor in the broader Left Democratic Front did voices rise openly against him.
Decisions went largely unquestioned, criticism was muted, and loyalty often translated into unquestioning endorsement. Admirers and enablers alike helped elevate the Chief Minister to an almost unassailable position.
That is why developments at the CPI(M) meeting held on Wednesday mark a notable departure. For the first time, a section of the leadership openly flagged Vijayan’s autocratic style of functioning.
The criticism may have been measured and cautious, but its very articulation signals that the long-standing silence has been broken. What was once whispered in corridors has now entered formal party discourse.
The trigger is clearly the local body poll setback, which punctured the carefully cultivated narrative of invincibility. Electoral reverses have a way of rearranging loyalties in the CPI(M), and history offers ample precedent.
The question now is whether this is merely a passing tremor or the beginning of a deeper shift. Will Vijayan recalibrate, loosen his grip, and accommodate dissent within the party’s collective framework? Or will he reassert control and demonstrate that his authority remains intact?
For a leader who has thrived on command and control, the coming months may test whether iron can bend -- or whether it ultimately cracks.
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