CPM Likely To Waive Retirement Rule For Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Ahead Of 2026 Polls

Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of the CPM party convention in Kollam Wednesday, senior party leaders on Tuesday indicated that the party will grand all exemptions, especially the 75 years rule to retire from holding top posts, to allow Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to lead Kerala in the Assembly elections in 2026. He will also get an exemption in the party against giving party tickets to those who served as lawmakers twice.

Senior party leader and politburo member EP Jayarajan told media Tuesday that the question of who will lead the CPM does not arise. There is only one leader and the whole state is behind him. Pinarayi has a groundswell of support and remains the most popular leader because of his sterling work in the past two terms.

The party has decided to back Pinarayi due to two reasons: he is the only leader who commands support pan Kerala; secondly, if he steps aside, there would be a major tussle within the party in the powerful Kannur lobby that has been controlling the state politics ever since the fading out of former chief minister VS Achuthanandan.

Pinarayi, 79, had also indicated that he is not averse to contesting the next elections despite his age and poor health conditions.

At the Kollam convention, four senior leaders would have to step down due to the age bar. The Pinarayi faction will try to fill the slots with loyalists.

There is, however, a question mark over the continuance of MV Govindan as the party state general secretary. Insiders say that Pinarayi has not been happy with some of the crises he handled.