Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, is aiming to make history with a third consecutive term in 2026.
Pinarayi Vijayan is the current Chief Minister of Kerala and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), representing the Dharmadam constituency. Born in 1944 in Pinarayi village, he rose through the party ranks to become the state’s 12th Chief Minister, a position he has held since May 25, 2016.
In the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, Vijayan was re-elected on 2 May 2021, leading the Left Democratic Front to a consecutive term in power. As Speaker of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly, he oversees a wide range of portfolios including Home Affairs, Vigilance, General Administration, Planning and Economic Affairs, according to niyamasabha.nic.in and score.kerala.gov.in.
Vijayan’s supporters credit him with breaking the state’s historic “power alternation” curse in 2021.
A historic third term and internal challenges
Octogenarian Vijayan is chasing history as he seeks an unprecedented third consecutive term in the 2026 Assembly elections, a feat not achieved by any Kerala politician since 1957, according to an earlier HT report. To maintain continuity, he dropped the party’s previous two-term limit for legislators, allowing incumbent veterans to compete again. However, this election cycle faces unique obstacles, including a rebellion by former party supporters in strongholds like Payyannur and Talibaramba, who are now running as UDF-backed independents, citing “neglect” within the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
His political ideology and national position
Vijayan remains a fierce critic of the BJP, positioning the Left as the “only force” capable of resisting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s ideological agenda in Kerala. While he maintains a broad secular alliance with the Congress at the national level, he insists that the two fronts in Kerala represent a “real ideological battle” between neoliberal policies and social welfare.
5 Key Facts about Pinarayi Vijayan
- Born into an extremely poor family as the 14th child of Mundayal Kuran and Kalyani, Vijayan worked as a handloom weaver to support himself before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in economics at Brinane College, Thalassery.
- His political journey began in student activism where he served as President and Secretary of Kerala Students Federation (KSF); He later joined the CPI(M) in 1964 and was elected to the Kannur District Committee at the age of 24.
- During the National Emergency (1975-77), Vijayan was arrested and tortured for raising his voice against the central government, an experience that is said to have strengthened his resolve for public service.
- Before becoming Prime Minister, he served as Minister of Electricity and Cooperation from 1996 to 1998.
- Vijayan served as Secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the Communist Party of India for 17 years (1998-2015) and has been a member of the party’s highest decision-making body, the Politburo, since 2002.
Yamini CS is a senior content producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. It is part of the India News Bureau, where it works on a wide range of stories covering civic issues, developments in cities, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics and international affairs having an impact on India. Its role includes tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and physical sources, and presenting news in a clear and accessible format for a digital-first audience. Much of her work involves handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court rulings, political developments, civil unrest, protests, weather alerts, and unfolding national and international events. With live coverage, you focus on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they develop. Before moving to the wider India News Bureau, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru bureau of Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her anchoring in city reporting and increased her focus on citizen-focused journalism. She began her career as a Reuters correspondent after obtaining a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continues to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading in various genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which helps her maintain balance in the fast-paced newsroom environment.Read more
