Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Minister- designates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] and Communist Party of India (CPI) offered floral tributes to martyrs of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising on Thursday morning.
Ahead of the swearing-in of the newly elected Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala on Thursday evening, Mr. Vijayan, accompanied by his nominated Cabinet colleagues and Speaker-designate M.B. Rajesh, first visited the martyrs’ memorial at Vayalar in Alappuzha and paid their respects. Later, they paid tributes at the martyrs' column at Valiyachudukadu in Punnapra.
Communist movement
Paying homage to the martyrs of the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle prior to oath-taking has been a Communist tradition followed since the time of the first Communist government led by E.M.S. Namboothiripad in 1957.
The revolt led by the undivided Communist Party of India is celebrated as one of the watershed events in the history of the communist movement in the State. It is named after two of the places involved.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram at 3.30 p.m.
