---
title: "Chintha Jerome elected DYFI Kerala’s first woman state president"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/chintha-jerome-dyfi-kerala-first-woman-president-cnza2
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Politics
published: 2026-08-22T10:00:39.472Z
modified: 2026-08-23T05:00:06.871Z
language: en-IN
---

# Chintha Jerome elected DYFI Kerala’s first woman state president

Chintha Jerome has been elected as Kerala DYFI's first female state president at the Thrissur conference on August 22, 2026, with M Vijin as state secretary and Rahul of Alappuzha as treasurer. The move follows internal debates and CPM directives, and includes new rules mandating minimum female repr

## Key takeaways

- Chintha Jerome is elected Kerala's first female DYFI state president at the Thrissur conference on August 22, 2026.
- M Vijin is elected as DYFI Kerala state secretary and Rahul of Alappuzha as treasurer; Jerome is a central DYFI member and CPM state committee member.
- DYFI has adopted constitutional amendments to ensure a minimum of 20% female representation across all committees.

## What Happened

At the DYFI state conference held in Thrissur, Chintha Jerome was elected Kerala's first female state president. She is a central committee member of DYFI and a member of the CPM state committee. The conference also elected M Vijin, an MLA and former SFI state secretary, as state secretary, and Rahul from Alappuzha as treasurer. The awards were announced by the DYFI all-India president A.A. Rahim.

## Why It Matters

The election marks the first time Kerala’s DYFI has a woman heading the state unit, a milestone described as historic. The party has implemented changes aimed at increasing female representation, including constitutional amendments mandating a minimum 20 percent female representation across all committees. This comes after debates about district-level female mandates and a prior pattern where some districts elected female district presidents while others did not name female secretaries.

## Background

Chintha Jerome comes from Kollam and is a long-time organizer within student and youth wings of the CPM-led movement. Her profile includes a doctorate in English literature from the University of Kerala, past leadership in the University of Kerala Union (2007-08), service on the university Senate and Syndicate, and two terms as chairperson of the Kerala State Youth Commission (2016-2023), during which she launched initiatives such as the Youth Brigade program. The 16th DYFI State Conference in Thrissur is where the new office-bearers were named.

## Key Facts

 
- Election date: August 22, 2026
 
- Location of conference: Thrissur, Kerala
 
- New Kerala DYFI state president: Chintha Jerome
 
- New state secretary: M Vijin (MLA, former SFI state secretary)
 
- New treasurer: Rahul of Alappuzha
 
- Jerome is a central committee member of DYFI and a member of the CPM state committee
 
- DYFI enacted constitutional amendments to guarantee a minimum 20% female representation across all committees
 
- District-level outcomes referenced: Kannur, Palakkad, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram had female district presidents; some districts had female treasurers; no district secretary posts were held by women at that time
 
- Context: the move followed directives from CPM leadership and internal discussions about gender mandates

## What Happens Next

Officials indicated ongoing implementation of the new gender representation provisions across DYFI committees. The conference named the new leadership and outlined the post-Conference governance framework, with the SPD leadership expected to guide subsequent district-level appointments under the amended rules.

---
Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/chintha-jerome-dyfi-kerala-first-woman-president-cnza2
Reported from: Multiple Sources