Thiruvananthapuram, May 14 (IANS) In a striking reversal of political fortunes, former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was on Thursday officially declared Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, hours after V. D. Satheesan was selected by his Congress as his successor following the party-led UDF’s emphatic victory in the Assembly elections.

The decision to appoint Vijayan as the Opposition leader was taken at the meeting of the Communist Party of India-Marxist state committee, formally marking the beginning of a new political chapter in Kerala, perhaps one of the most ironic role reversals in recent state politics.

An indication of Vijayan’s appointment had emerged when he moved to a home of a leading businessman early this week, so that he could use the official residence of the Leader of Opposition as his office only.

Incidentally, it was in this residence that Satheesan lived with his family for the past five years.

During Vijayan’s second consecutive term as Chief Minister, it was Satheesan who occupied the Opposition benches as Leader of the Opposition, relentlessly cornering the Left government both inside and outside the Assembly.

Now, with the electorate delivering a massive setback to the Left Democratic Front after a decade in power, the two leaders are set to exchange seats in the House.

For both leaders, the coming Assembly session will carry a distinct political symbolism.

Interestingly, this will be the first time in their long political careers that Satheesan will sit in the Chief Minister’s chair while Vijayan will function as the Leader of the Opposition.

The political imagery is difficult to miss.

For ten years, Vijayan dominated Kerala politics as the undisputed face of the Left, steering two successive governments and shaping the state’s political discourse.

Satheesan, meanwhile, sharpened his profile as an aggressive Opposition leader who repeatedly accused the government of arrogance, lack of transparency and administrative failures.

Now, the battleground remains the same, but the positions have dramatically changed.

While the Congress-led front is celebrating its return to power after a decade, the Left camp is preparing for introspection and rebuilding under a leader who, until recently, held the state’s highest executive office.

Kerala politics, known for its cyclical swings, has once again delivered a picture-perfect reminder that, in politics, today’s ruler can very quickly become tomorrow’s challenger.

–IANS

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