The upcoming Lok Sabha election will be the first major test of political acumen for the present bosses of the main parties in Kerala.
This is the first general election for M.V. Govindan, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]; Binoy Viswam, State secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI); K. Sudhakaran, president, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee; V.D. Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition; and Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, State president, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), after they assumed charge of their respective posts.
Mr. Govindan succeeded the late Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as CPI(M) State secretary, when the latter vacated the post due to ill-health in August 2022. He was in charge of the Excise and Local Self-Government departments in the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet then.