A smiling Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (80) walks through the lawns of Cliff House, his official residence in Thiruvananthapuram, appearing relaxed. The camera follows him and actor Mohanlal in slow, composed frames, capturing his easy laughter and their informal exchange on films and music. The teaser is in sharp contrast to the chief minister’s stern public persona. He is not alone. Other ministers too are following the advice of political consultants and opting for image makeovers.

Observers have been quick to draw parallels with actor Akshay Kumar’s much discussed interview some years ago with prime minister Narendra Modi. One particular question on mangoes turned out to be the ‘highlight’ of that conversation. Pinarayi’s interaction with Mohanlal is being seen as an attempt to humanise a powerful political figure through soft conversation rather than hard questioning. The shift from ideology and ground-level politics to promoting the persona of the chief minister is striking because no ‘communist’ chief minister has done it before, and certainly not Pinarayi.

The timing is significant. Assembly elections are approaching. Across the state, the political atmosphere already carries the feel of an early campaign. Large hoardings featuring only Vijayan’s image and highlighting government achievements have appeared in prominent public spaces.

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© National Herald