Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be appointing two key CPI-M leaders to state-backed organisations very soon. Despite the fact that both key leaders are not in Vijayan's good books, the action is being interpreted as a plan to keep everyone in high spirits ahead of the party's impending state conference, according to sources.

P. Sreeramakrishnan, the former Speaker of the state Assembly, and P. Jayarajan, Kannur's senior leader, were both offered posts that did not fit their status. While Sreeramakrishnan will serve as vice chairman of NORKA, the state-backed diaspora organisation, Jayarajan will lead the Kerala Khadi Board.

"Vijayan's game plan is to consolidate his position not just in the state unit of the party, but at the national level, and he doesn't want even a whimper of discontent from Kerala," the source added that "All eyes are on whether Sitaram Yechury will get another term, and if he doesn't, it will almost certainly be a handpicked leader by Vijayan."

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