Pinarayi Vijayan became a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly five times; in 1970, 1977, and 1991 from Koothuparamba, in 1996 from Payyannur, and in 2016 from Dharmadom. He was the Power and Co-operation Minister in the E K Nayanar Government, which came to power in 1996. During this period, the state witnessed a phenomenal increase in power generation besides significant enhancement in the distribution capacity of various power projects, thus ushering in a new era in the electricity sector. During the internal emergency, while being a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, he was arrested and brutally beaten up in a police lockup.
His administrative acumen and experience as a well-grounded politician who understood people’s needs helped him introduce various revolutionary initiatives in the state’s cooperative sector. He relieved himself of the ministerial responsibilities in 1998 to take up the crucial post of the CPI (M) State Secretary for playing a more significant role in the organisation. He held the State Secretary’s position from 1998 to 2015.
He was elevated to the national leadership of the CPI (M), becoming a member of the Politburo in 1998.
During his political life spanning over five decades, He excelled in all organisational and parliamentary responsibilities. He became a legislator at the age of 26 in 1970, and during this period, he faced brutal police torture for days together. After coming out of jail, he made a stunning speech on the floor of the House, holding aloft the blood-stained shirt he wore during the custodial torture. His speech is rated as one of the best in the history of the Kerala Assembly.
Married to Kamala, the couple has two children, Vivek and Veena. The 12th Chief Minister of Kerala on 25 May 2016 was born to Maroli Koran and Kalyani on 24 May 1945 in Kannur District.
