Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 : Senior CPI(M) leader and former three-time MLA from Kozhikode, A. Pradeepkumar, has been appointed as the new private secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

The appointment comes following the elevation of K.K. Ragesh, the CM's former private secretary, as the party's Kannur district secretary last month.

A prominent face in the CPI(M), the 60-year-old Pradeepkumar has served as president of both the Students' Federation of India (SFI) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the student and youth wings of the party. He is currently a member of the influential CPI(M) state committee.

Pradeepkumar represented the Kozhikode North assembly constituency for three consecutive terms before stepping aside in 2021 in accordance with the CPI(M)'s internal rotation policy.

During his tenure, he was known for his developmental initiatives, particularly the construction of new infrastructure for government schools in his constituency.

In recognition of his contributions to architecture and public infrastructure, the Indian Institute of Architects recently conferred upon him an honorary fellowship -- the first time a politician has been bestowed with such an honour. Interestingly, his only daughter is also an architect.

Widely respected across party lines for his affable nature and organizational skills, Pradeepkumar is regarded as a grassroots leader who rose through the ranks of the party. A sports enthusiast, he has previously served as president of the Kozhikode District Football Association and as a member of the Kerala State Sports Council.

Responding to the appointment, Pradeepkumar said, 'This is a responsibility entrusted to me by the party. After three terms in parliamentary politics and a stint in party work, I've now been given a new role. I will give it my best.'

In 2019, while serving as an MLA, Pradeepkumar was fielded by the CPI(M) in the Lok Sabha elections from Kozhikode, but lost to incumbent Congress MP M.K. Raghavan.

/IANS