People's Democracy

V S Achuthanandan Elected as Opposition leader

IN Kerala, the CPI(M) legislature party has unanimously elected former chief minister and CPI(M) Central Committee member, V S Achuthanandan, as the opposition leader for the 13th Kerala assembly. This 87 years old leader served as opposition leader during the UDF ministry of 2001-06 as well.

At its meeting held in AKG Bhavan its office in Thiruvananthapuram on May 25, the CPI(M) state committee also elected CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and former home minister, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, as the deputy leader of opposition. Central Committee member and former education minister M A Baby will be the opposition’s chief whip. The meeting elected party state secretariat member and former electricity minister A K Balan as its legislative party secretary.  

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has 68 members in the 140 member house. The CPI(M) is the largest constituent in the assembly with 47 seats including two CPI(M) backed independents. 

The candidate for the speaker’s election, to be held on June 2, will be decided in a LDF meeting later.