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.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
