Thiruvananthapuram: Senior CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Sunday stepped down as the party State Secretary due to his health situation.
CPM Central Committee member and Local Self-Government Minister MV Govindan will replace Balakrishnan as the new party state secretary.
Kodiyeri, who was discharged from the hospital on Friday, will be shifted to Chennai for further treatment. He will be admitted to Apollo Hospital on Monday.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Kodiyeri at his flat ahead of the party's crucial meeting on Sunday. He was accompanied by party politburo member MA Baby and general secretary SitaramYechury.
Kodiyeri's successor MV Govindan also paid him a visit later in the day.
CPM had summoned the urgent State Secretariat and the State Committee meetings on Sunday and Monday respectively to deliberate on the appointment of a new party secretary and new faces to be included in the Cabinet.
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was elected the CPM state secretary for the third time during the party state conference held in Kochi in March.
