Thrissur, 22 August (H.S.): Chinta Jerome has been elected Kerala state president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), while Kalliasseri MLA M Vijin has been chosen as state secretary after deliberations at the state conference. The new leadership was elected at the organisation's state conference in Thrissur. Advocate R Rahul was named treasurer. The conference also elected a 92-member state committee and a 25-member secretariat.

Jerome began her public life as an activist of the Students' Federation of India (SFI). She served as SFI Kollam area president, district joint secretary, state vice-president and central committee member. She was Kerala University Union chairperson during 2007-08 and later served on the university's Senate and Syndicate.

Before her elevation, Jerome was DYFI state joint secretary and a central committee member. She chaired the Kerala State Youth Commission from 2016 to 2023 and became the youngest member elected to the CPI(M) state committee at its Ernakulam conference.

Born in Kollam to teachers C Jerome and Esther Jerome, she studied at Vimala Hridaya Higher Secondary School and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in English literature from Fatima Mata National College. After completing a BEd, she obtained a doctorate in English literature from Kerala University and qualified for UGC-NET and the Junior Research Fellowship.

Vijin entered politics through Balasangham and held several SFI posts, including Kannur district secretary and president, state secretary and all-India joint secretary. In the DYFI, he served as unit president, unit secretary and Kannur district treasurer. Before becoming secretary, he was DYFI state vice-president and central committee member. A CPI(M) Kannur district committee member, he has represented Kalliasseri in the Assembly since 2021.

R Shyama, V Anoop, Mohammed Afsal, P Shabeer and Nikhil Babu were elected vice-presidents. Greeshma Ajayaghosh, Rajeev Vellattu, Shyam Prasad, Sachin Dev and K Anusree were chosen as joint secretaries.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman