Kannur: This place in northern Kerala has been equated with the CPM for long as it produced many party stalwarts over the decades. The Kannur lobby or clique in the party has been always formidable as is even now even after the exit of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan as the state general secretary, the topmost post in the leadership hierarchy. Thus the reins of Kerala unit of CPM, even if it is for a temporary period, has moved out of Kannur district for the first time in 28 years.

For the past 28 consecutive years leaders belonging to Kannur district had been at the helm of CPM. E K Nayanar became the party state secretary in 1992 after the completion of V S Achuthanandan's term. All the leaders who held the state secretary's post since then, hailed from Kannur.

Even though the CPM proffers that office-bearers of the party are not decided on the basis of local or regional support, the list of former state secretaries is proof enough of the recognition received by Kannur leaders in the Marxist party.

A majority of the leaders who headed the party in Kerala belonged to Kannur district. Of the eight state secretaries that CPM had in Kerala after the formation of the party, five were from Kannur. Barring E M S Namboodiripad and V S Achuthanandan, the other five were Kannur residents. Even though C H Kanaran was born in Azhiyoor, adjoining Mahe in Kozhikode district, his political base was Kannur district. If his name too is also included then the number of state secretaries from Kannur would go up to six.

With Kodiyeri Balakrishnan stepping aside from the post on Friday, the state secretary’s charge has been given to A Vijayaraghavan who belongs to Malappuram district. If the decision to hand over party reins to Vijayaraghavan is any indication of his future elevation, then one can safely say that the top post will move out from Kannur to Malappuram, the home district of doyen EMS Namboodiripad.