Binoy Viswam Elected as CPI State Secretary

Alappuzha: Binoy Viswam has been elected as the State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) at the 25th state conference held in Alappuzha. He had assumed the responsibilities of the State Secretary on December 10, 2023, following the passing of Kanam Rajendran, while still serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Currently, Binoy Viswam is also a member of the CPI Central Secretariat and the Working President of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). He serves as the editor of the CPI’s official newspaper, New Age.

Born on November 25, 1955, in Vaikom, Kerala, Binoy Viswam is the son of former MLA and veteran Communist leader C.K. Viswanathan and C.K. Omana. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree. He began his political career through active involvement in the All India Students' Federation (AISF), the student wing of the CPI, where he held various leadership roles at the state and national levels. He also served as the Vice President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), leading its Asia-Pacific Commission.

Binoy Viswam was elected twice to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from the Nadapuram constituency, serving from 2001 to 2011. During the Left Democratic Front government between 2006 and 2011, he was appointed as the Minister for Forest and Housing.

In June 2018, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, where he served as the leader of the CPI Parliamentary Party until 2024. Known for his articulate speeches and principled stance, Viswam has been a prominent voice on issues such as secularism, workers' rights, environmental protection, and social justice.