Kochi, Mar 4 (PTI) Veteran CPI(M) leader and politburo member, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, was on Friday re-elected as the state secretary of the party in Kerala for the third consecutive term. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the ongoing 23rd state conference unanimously elected Balakrishnan to lead the party in the state for another three-year term. Balakrishnan (68) became the party secretary for the first time in 2015, taking over the charge from his predecessor Pinarayi Vijayan. He was re-elected in the Thrissur state conference of 2018. However, in 2020, Balakrishnan stepped aside from the post for almost a year citing health-related issues. He is also the Chief Editor of the Malayalam daily and party mouthpiece, Deshabhimani. The state conference has also elected an 88-member state committee and a 17-member state secretariat. There are 16 new faces in the state committee, including DYFI national president A A Rahim and SFI national president V P Sanu, among other youngsters. There are 13 women in the state committee. The four-day state conference will conclude today after a public meeting at Marine Drive here which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. PTI RRT RRT HDA HDA