Kerala Assembly Elections 2021: Pinarayi Vijayan, the undoubted CM of Kerala this time

There was no scope for any concerns as Vijayan has been the unchallenged 'captain'

Unlike the previous elections, this time there is no question of who is going to be the Chief Minister of Kerala as Pinarayi Vijayan has led the Left front to the thumping victory.

In 2016 when the LDF won the elections, there were certain concerns whether veteran leader and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who was then CPM's star campaigner, may stake claims for the CM post.

But this time, there was no scope for any such questions as Vijayan has been the unchallenged 'captain', as his fan addressed him, of the Left front.

The 76-year old leader, hailing from Pinarayi village in Kannur district, is often known for his adamant stature and tough statements, which often invited criticism. But his leadership quality has been widely appreciated.

Also read: Assembly election results 2021: LDF's historic win in Kerala will break 40-year-old old trend

Vijayan, who is a politburo member of CPM, served as CPM state secretary in Kerala for over 15 years and has a strong grip over the party right down to the grass-root level.

A scar in Vijayan's career was the allegations over a deal between the Kerala State Electricity Board and Canadian firm SNC Lavalin for the upgradation of three power projects in Kerala. The deal was finalised while Vijayan was the power minister from 1996 to 1998. He had to even keep off from electoral politics until the CBI court and the High Court gave a clean chit to him. But an appeal filed by the CBI is pending for quite some time at the Supreme Court.

Vijayan, who hailed from a toddy tapper family, had faced ridiculing remarks from his political opponents over it. But Vijayan often countered it by stating that he was indeed proud of it.

Vijayan studied at the Government Brennan College in Thalassery. His wife Kamala is a retired teacher and they have two children. His son-in-law Mohamed Riyas, who is a CPM worker, also got elected to the Assembly from the Beypore constituency this time.