Thiruvananthapuram: Former CPM state secretary and former minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (69) passed away. He died at Apollo Hospital in Chennai on Saturday at 8 pm. He had health problems including cancer. In case of poor health, C.P.M. Kodiyeri went for specialist treatment after he left the post of state secretary. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was scheduled to leave for Europe today, canceled his trip due to concerns over Kodiyeri’s health condition. Leaders including CPM State Secretary MV Govindan have reached Chennai.
On November 16, 1953, Kannur Thalai L.P. Kodiyeri was born to school teacher Kodiyeri Mottummel Kunjunnikurup and Narayaniamma. Kodiyeri’s father died when he was six years old. Then he grew up under the care of his mother. Kodiyeri entered politics through the student movement. He completed his education from Kodiyeri Junior Basic School, Kodiyeri Onion Government High School, Mahi Mahatma Gandhi Government College and Thiruvananthapuram University College.
At the age of sixteen, C.P.M. Kodiyeri, who took membership, later reached important positions in the party and the government. He reached the Legislative Assembly from Thalassery in 1982, 1987, 2001, 2006 and 2011. Kodiyeri, Deputy Leader of Opposition in 2001, V.S. Achuthanandan was the Minister of Home Affairs and Tourism in the Govt. It was a time when sectarianism was flagging in the party. The then Chief Minister V.S. Achuthandan and Pinarayi Vijayan, who was the party secretary, were at loggerheads without pause. Kodiyeri also performed the role of mediator beautifully.
In 2015, the CPM Kodiyeri is coming to the post of state secretary. It was seen that Pinarayi Vijayan was moving to parliamentary politics and Kodiyeri was moving from parliamentary politics to party leadership. Kodiyeri again became the state secretary in 2018 after the first Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power in 2016. Kodiyeri handled the discomforts and problems that arose in the party and the front in the best possible way.
Kodiyeri has some health problems in 2019. Meanwhile, his sons Binoy Kodiyeri and Bineesh Kodiyeri were embroiled in big controversies and cases. The case against Bino, the string necklaces and Bineesh’s arrest took a toll on Kodiyeri both politically and personally. Then on November 13, 2020, C.P.M. He took over from the state secretaryship and became the acting secretary. Vijayaraghavan took charge. After treatment, Kodiyeri returned to the secretariat. But after the situation worsened, he resigned.
C.P.M. Leader and former Thalassery MLA M.V. Rajagopal’s daughter S.R. Kodiyeri’s wife is Vinodini. Binoy Kodiyeri and Bineesh Kodiyeri and their sons Dr. Akhila and Rinita are nieces.