Pinarayi Vijayan
Chief Minister of Kerala (2016–2026) and CPI(M) Politburo member
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- 81 yrs
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Pinarayi Vijayan is a senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader who served as Chief Minister of Kerala from 2016 to 2026 — the first in the state to win re-election after completing a full term. He is now Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly.
Biography
Early life
Vijayan was born in the village of Pinarayi in Kannur and studied economics at Government Brennen College, Thalassery. He rose through the communist student and youth movements and was elected to the Kerala assembly from Kuthuparamba in 1970, at 25. During the Emergency he was arrested and beaten in police custody.
Party leader
He was Minister for Electricity and Co-operation in the E. K. Nayanar government (1996–98) and then served as secretary of the CPI(M)’s Kerala state committee from 1998 to 2015, the longest anyone has held the post. He has been a member of the party’s Politburo since 2002.
Chief Minister
Vijayan led the Left Democratic Front to victory in 2016 and became Chief Minister. His government managed the devastating floods of 2018, the Nipah outbreaks and the Covid-19 pandemic, and pushed infrastructure projects through the KIIFB investment board. In 2021 the LDF won again, the first time in four decades that a Kerala government was re-elected.
His tenure ended on 18 May 2026 after the assembly election, and he became Leader of the Opposition.
Leadership style
Pinarayi Vijayan is known as a disciplined, reserved and firm leader, nicknamed “Captain” by supporters during the 2021 campaign. His governments focused on welfare pensions, public health, public education and large infrastructure projects funded through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, including roads, bridges and the national highway expansion.
Controversies
His tenure saw the Sabarimala controversy over the entry of women into the temple after a 2018 Supreme Court ruling, which his government sought to implement, and allegations involving a gold smuggling case and his family, which he denied. Within the CPI(M) he long had a rivalry with former Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan.
Timeline
-
1945
Born in Pinarayi, Kannur district, Madras Presidency (now Kerala)
-
1970
Elected MLA from Kuthuparamba
Aged 25.
-
1996
Minister for Electricity and Co-operation
Until 1998.
-
1998
CPI(M) Kerala state secretary
Until 2015.
-
2016
Chief Minister of Kerala
Sworn in on 25 May.
-
2018
Kerala floods
Leads relief and rebuilding efforts.
-
2018
Kerala floods and Sabarimala controversy
-
2020
Leads Kerala’s Covid-19 response
-
2021
Re-elected Chief Minister
First re-election of a Kerala government in decades.
-
2026
Leader of the Opposition
After the assembly election.
Did you know?
-
1
Supporters nicknamed him “Captain”.
-
2
He was the first Kerala Chief Minister to be re-elected after a full term.
-
3
His son-in-law P. A. Mohammed Riyas served as a minister in his cabinet.
Gallery
Frequently asked
Who is Pinarayi Vijayan?
Pinarayi Vijayan is a senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader who served as Chief Minister of Kerala from 2016 to 2026 — the first in the state to win re-election after completing a full term. He is now Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly.
How old is Pinarayi Vijayan?
Pinarayi Vijayan is 81 years old, born on 24 May 1945 in Pinarayi, Kannur district, Madras Presidency (now Kerala).
Where is Pinarayi Vijayan from?
Pinarayi Vijayan was born in Pinarayi, Kannur district, Madras Presidency (now Kerala).
What is Pinarayi Vijayan known for?
Pinarayi Vijayan is best known for First Kerala Chief Minister re-elected after a full term; leadership during the 2018 floods and Covid-19.
Who is Pinarayi Vijayan married to?
Spouse: T. Kamala.
References
- Pinarayi Vijayan — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Pinarayi Vijayan — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Pinarayi Vijayan (Q3595385) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Pinarayi Vijayan.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/pinarayi-vijayan
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