<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Decks have been cleared for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/kerala-india">Kerala </a>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to lead the party in 2026 Assembly Election. </p><p>Vijayan is eyeing a hat-trick as the Party Congress that concluded in Madurai on Sunday not only lifted the age bar for the 80 year-old-leader (for the second consecutive time) but also gave solid backing for him despite the serious allegations over the financial dealings between his entrepreneur daughter and a controversial mining firm.</p> .CPI(M)'s M A Baby frontrunner for general secretary post, Bengal leaders back AIKS' Dhawale.<p>Being chief minister of the lone state where the CPI (M) is in power, Pinarayi has been literally dictating terms for quite some time. </p><p>He retained his seat for the second consecutive time in 2021. Moreover, sources say that M A Baby's elevation as general secretary was Vijayan's choice. </p> .<p>Apart from lifting the 75 age limit for Vijayan, the bar on third consecutive term as MLA imposed during the last election could also be relaxed for the chief minister.</p><p>Meanwhile, Baby, who said on Sunday that Vijayan would lead the party in the next assembly polls, refused to project Vijayan as Chief Minister candidate.</p><p>"It is too early to have any discussion on the next Chief Minister," Baby said.</p><p>"If the CPI(M) and the left-front do their job in the right manner, victory could be ensured in the next election," he added.</p> .<p>Baby's statements leave room for speculations whether Vijayan's role will be limited only to ensure a hat-trick victory for the party and not to lead the government, especially since age and health related issues were reportedly not in his favour. </p><p>Baby, who was a former education minister in Kerala, was unhappy with Vijayan for quite some time. </p><p>Pinarayi's 'paranari' (Malayalam word for scoundrel) comment against RSP leader N K Premachandran while Baby was competing against him in the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Kollam was considered to be a reason for Baby's defeat in his home town, that too when he was a sitting MLA from the region.</p> .<p>However, like many other CPI(M) leaders, Baby also seems to have no other option but to fall in Pinarayi's line as he holds the last word in all matters.</p><p>The CPI(M) might be able to please the Christian community by making Baby the general secretary. </p><p>Meanwhile, elevation of the leader from Kerala as general secretary could further strengthen the narrative by rival camps that the CPI(M) is getting reduced as a Kerala party.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Decks have been cleared for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/kerala-india">Kerala </a>Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to lead the party in 2026 Assembly Election. </p><p>Vijayan is eyeing a hat-trick as the Party Congress that concluded in Madurai on Sunday not only lifted the age bar for the 80 year-old-leader (for the second consecutive time) but also gave solid backing for him despite the serious allegations over the financial dealings between his entrepreneur daughter and a controversial mining firm.</p> .CPI(M)'s M A Baby frontrunner for general secretary post, Bengal leaders back AIKS' Dhawale.<p>Being chief minister of the lone state where the CPI (M) is in power, Pinarayi has been literally dictating terms for quite some time. </p><p>He retained his seat for the second consecutive time in 2021. Moreover, sources say that M A Baby's elevation as general secretary was Vijayan's choice. </p> .<p>Apart from lifting the 75 age limit for Vijayan, the bar on third consecutive term as MLA imposed during the last election could also be relaxed for the chief minister.</p><p>Meanwhile, Baby, who said on Sunday that Vijayan would lead the party in the next assembly polls, refused to project Vijayan as Chief Minister candidate.</p><p>"It is too early to have any discussion on the next Chief Minister," Baby said.</p><p>"If the CPI(M) and the left-front do their job in the right manner, victory could be ensured in the next election," he added.</p> .<p>Baby's statements leave room for speculations whether Vijayan's role will be limited only to ensure a hat-trick victory for the party and not to lead the government, especially since age and health related issues were reportedly not in his favour. </p><p>Baby, who was a former education minister in Kerala, was unhappy with Vijayan for quite some time. </p><p>Pinarayi's 'paranari' (Malayalam word for scoundrel) comment against RSP leader N K Premachandran while Baby was competing against him in the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Kollam was considered to be a reason for Baby's defeat in his home town, that too when he was a sitting MLA from the region.</p> .<p>However, like many other CPI(M) leaders, Baby also seems to have no other option but to fall in Pinarayi's line as he holds the last word in all matters.</p><p>The CPI(M) might be able to please the Christian community by making Baby the general secretary. </p><p>Meanwhile, elevation of the leader from Kerala as general secretary could further strengthen the narrative by rival camps that the CPI(M) is getting reduced as a Kerala party.</p>