‘No CM Face Yet’: CPM general secretary confirms Pinarayi to lead LDF for assembly elections; Full story here

Pinarayi Vijayan will lead the LDF into the next Kerala polls, but the CPM says it won’t name a chief ministerial face yet. With alliances, ideology clashes, and strategy talks underway, key decisions remain unresolved.

Post Published By: Ayushi Bisht

Updated : 19 January 2026, 2:15 PM IST

M A Baby confirms Pinarayi to lead LDF for assembly elections

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will lead the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary M A Baby said on Sunday. However, the party has decided not to project a chief ministerial candidate ahead of the polls, maintaining its long-standing organisational tradition.

No CM Face to Be Projected

Addressing the media after a two-day CPM central committee meeting, Baby said the party would not declare a chief ministerial face before the election. He added that even Vijayan’s candidature would be discussed at an appropriate time.

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“If the LDF secures a victory, the decision on the next chief minister will be taken through internal deliberations,” he said, pointing out that the CPM has followed a similar approach since its first government in 1957.

Two-Term Rule Not Absolute

Responding to questions on the party’s informal two-term limit for elected representatives, Baby clarified that it is not a rigid rule applicable to every situation. He suggested that the party retains flexibility depending on political and organisational circumstances.

Attack on Congress Over Hindutva Stand

Baby accused the Congress of adopting a “hard Hindutva” political line while simultaneously accusing the CPM of pursuing a softer version of the same ideology. He recalled that in the 1991 Assembly and parliamentary elections, the Congress, the Muslim League, and the BJP had come together in certain constituencies with the objective of defeating the CPM and the LDF.

No Communal Violence Under LDF Rule

Highlighting the LDF government’s record, Baby said Kerala had not witnessed any communal violence over the past decade. He added that the CPM state secretariat had consistently issued strong condemnations whenever unfounded accusations were raised by leaders of particular communities, making an indirect reference to recent remarks by SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.

UDF, BJP Speaking in One Voice: CPM

The CPM leader alleged that both the UDF and the BJP were echoing similar criticism against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. According to him, this indicated a shared political strategy aimed at weakening the LDF government.

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Poll Strategy Focused on Development

The CPM’s Kerala unit informed the central committee that its election campaign would highlight the development achievements of the two Pinarayi-led governments. The party also plans to expose what it termed the Congress’ “double standards” in opposing the Union government’s policies allegedly detrimental to Kerala’s interests.

Alliance Talks in Other States

Providing updates from other states, Baby said the CPM’s West Bengal unit was awaiting a decision from the Congress on a possible electoral understanding, while confirming seat-sharing with CPI (ML) Liberation. In Assam, discussions with the Congress over seat-sharing are still pending confirmation.