Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 16 (IANS): As the search for a new General Secretary in the CPI-M following the demise of Sitaram Yechury continued, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appears to be playing a crucial role in the final selection.

Among the various names being considered is veteran Kerala Communist leader M.A. Baby. However, the party top brass have not been able to stamp his name due to Chief Minister Vijayan's reservations.

CM Vijayan and Baby do not have the best of relations after the latter expressed his displeasure over the manner affairs of the party were being managed.

Ever since CM Vijayan took over as the Chief Minister in 2016, and then secured a historic second term in 2021, his stature has grown contrary to the general norm that has been prevailing in the party. And it is CM Vijayan who is the final word in the party too, leaving the otherwise powerful party state secretary toeing Vijayan.

CM Vijayan has been able to assert in the party on account of his long tenure as the party secretary from 1998 to 2015 and then becoming the CM. Over the years he was able to handpick his trusted followers and aides and place them in key party posts.

When he took over as the Chief Minister in 2016 edging out his senior colleague V.S. Achuthanandan, his dominance in the government also took centre stage and was able to consolidate after he led the ruling Left to a stellar win in the 2021 Assembly polls. With the party wiped out in both West Bengal and Tripura, the national leadership of the party will not be able to sideline him that easily as he commands good support from those outside the state too,

A media critic on condition of anonymity said what’s crucial for the party is the upcoming 24th Party Congress to be held in April in Tamil Nadu which will see a new set of office-bearers who will run the party for the next three years.

“More importantly with an age cap of those above 75 years having to bow out unless given exemption, the options are less and that’s where Baby by his soft demeanour and his style of functioning is giving CM Vijayan a bit of trouble. Perhaps Vijayan would like to see his close aide A.Vijayaraghavan at the helm of affairs, as the general secretary plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Party Congress takes place smoothly and also important decisions are taken by the central committee and the politburo of the party,” said the critic.

Incidentally, this is the first time since the party’s inception in 1964 that a general secretary has passed away while in office.

Presently from Kerala, the politburo includes Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, M.A. Baby, A. Vijayaraghavan and M.V. Govindan.

The advantage for CM Vijayan is at the moment Kerala appears to have an edge in the party with a good number in the Central Committee too and most of them are more loyal to the CM than anyone else. Hence in the coming days, the picture will become clear if CM Vijayan will have the last say.