CPM Kerala state secretary MV Govindan made a candid admission about his body language during a district committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, acknowledging that even his own family has criticized his public demeanor.

Govindan revealed that his son once asked him, “Do you look in the mirror?” and suggested he rewatch his press conferences. He admitted that his body language at press meets has not been appropriate and pledged to behave with more maturity going forward.

The district committee meeting saw sharp criticism directed at both Govindan and former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Several members blamed the election defeat on Pinarayi’s one-man-show style of functioning, arguing that decisions made by Pinarayi were automatically treated as party decisions. The sentiment expressed was that the government had become synonymous with Pinarayi Vijayan.

Criticism also emerged regarding the sidelining of veteran leader KK Shailaja Teacher, with allegations that the leadership conspired to keep her out of the second Pinarayi ministry by introducing new eligibility conditions. The absence of late leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was also noted, with members remarking that he would never have adopted a “let them leave if they want” attitude toward departing leaders.

Responding to the criticism, Govindan called for a change in the communication style of party leaders. He emphasized that DYFI needs to improve its functioning and engage more deeply with young people at the organizational level, moving beyond food distribution and social service activities.

Questions were also raised about why Pinarayi Vijayan alone received age limit exemptions within the party. Govindan defended this by asking who else could serve as opposition leader if not Pinarayi.

Govindan’s self-critical remarks and willingness to acknowledge personal flaws mark a notable shift in the CPM’s internal discourse following the assembly election defeat.