CPI-M Avoids Controversy by Not Appointing Veena George as First Female District Secretary

Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Dec 30 (NationPress) As the organisational elections of the CPI-M in Kerala proceed, the prospect of appointing the first female district Secretary did not come to fruition on Monday. Speculation surrounded the potential nomination of state Health Minister Veena George for the Pathanamthitta district. However, in light of anticipated backlash, senior party officials opted for veteran former legislator Raju Abraham to assume the role instead.

Over the past sixty years, the CPI-M in Kerala has not seen a woman serve as Chief Minister, nor has any woman held the position of district Secretary in any of the existing 14 district committees. This lack of representation has led to criticism regarding the party's internal gender inclusivity.

George, a journalist-turned-legislator and protégé of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, raised eyebrows when, after securing a second consecutive term, he chose her as Health Minister rather than retaining the outgoing Minister K.K. Shailaja, who was lauded for her handling of the Covid pandemic.

During the selection process for the new Pathanamthitta district secretary and committee on Monday, while both Vijayan and the party's top leaders favored George, they ultimately decided against her nomination due to concerns that if the decision went to a ballot, she might not prevail. Consequently, Abraham was unanimously elected as the new district CPI-M Secretary.

Abraham, who enjoys substantial support within the district and served as the legislator from the Ranni assembly constituency from 1996 until 2021, does not have a favorable relationship with Vijayan, which may explain why he was not given the opportunity to contest the April Lok Sabha elections from the Pathanamthitta constituency.

Previously, well-known female leader and former minister J. Mercykutty was considered for the position of district Secretary in Kollam. However, her candidacy fell through at the last moment when it was decided that the current district secretary would retain their position for another three years.

With Mercykutty's aspirations unfulfilled, there was hope that George would pave the way for women in leadership, but with this setback, all attention now turns to the upcoming district committee meetings to see if a woman will finally be appointed.

Questions linger about whether Shailaja, the popular legislator from Kannur, will have the opportunity to become the first female district committee Secretary.

Currently, the 17-member state secretariat comprises only one woman, while the Central Committee includes two women from Kerala. A new Politburo is anticipated to be elected by the newly established Central Committee at the upcoming 24th Party Congress in Madurai in 2025.

While the CPI-M often advocates for gender neutrality, it has yet to appoint a woman to a prominent position in the state. In contrast, the Congress in Kerala can take pride in having appointed Srikutty Malu Amma as state party President back in 1952.