The resignation comes after the Left Democratic Front suffered a major setback in the Kerala Assembly elections, reducing its strength significantly in the state.
Image Source: X
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday night submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar. This step came just hours after the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) suffered a major electoral defeat in the state.
The Governor accepted the resignation but asked Vijayan to continue in office until a new Chief Minister takes charge.
Advertisement
The election results brought a major shift in Kerala’s political balance. The LDF was reduced to 35 seats. In contrast, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won a clear majority with 102 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to secure 3 seats.
Advertisement
The outcome ends the LDF’s decade-long run in power. Vijayan had been the Chief Minister since 2016, making him the longest-serving holder of the post in the state. His re-election in 2021 had broken Kerala’s long-standing pattern of alternating governments between the LDF and UDF.
Vijayan’s resignation formally closes a ten-year period in office that saw him lead the state through multiple crises. His time in power included the handling of major floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and repeated political controversies.
The scale of the LDF’s defeat has raised questions within political circles about anti-incumbency, governance performance, and the ruling front’s connection with voters after ten continuous years in power.
With the resignation in place, attention has now shifted to what role Vijayan may take next. Within the party, there is speculation that he could become the Leader of the Opposition in the newly formed Assembly, though no official decision has been announced.
Vijayan is now just under two weeks away from turning 82.
Advertisement
