Pinarayi Vijayan: The man, the party, and the third-term challenge

Kerala’s politics has long followed a predictable cycle. One term for the Left, the next for the Congress-led alliance. But that pattern broke in 2021. At the centre of that shift is Pinarayi Vijayan — a leader seen by supporters as decisive and by critics as increasingly powerful. From his rise in Kannur’s party politics to becoming the face of Kerala’s Left, Pinarayi’s journey has reshaped both the CPI(M) and the state’s political landscape. Now, a bigger question looms. Can Pinarayi Vijayan do what no one has done before in Kerala — win a third consecutive term?