Career
He has been Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala State Committee since 2015, the highest office within the party at the state level During the 2001–2006 United Democratic Front (Union for French Democracy) government in Kerala, he was the deputy opposition leader of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). During the 2006–2011 LDF government in Kerala, he was the Minister of Home Affairs and Tourism, and since 2011 he has again held the position of deputy opposition leader.
He was Secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the Students" Federation of India (SFI) and its All India Joint Secretary between 1973 and 1979.
During the time of The Emergency (India) Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was imprisoned under MISA for 16 months. From 1980 to 1982, he was the Kannur District President of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).
He was elected as an Modern Language Association to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1982, 1987 and 2001 from Kannur. In 2006 & 2011 he was elected from Thalassery.
On 10 July 2013, the Kerala High Court ordered a vigilance investigation against Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and other CPM cadres for irregularities regarding funds of up to Rs.
3 Crores taken from the State Treasury. These funds were used to hire expensive out-of-state lawyers who appeared on Balakrishnan"s behalf when he was Minister. The Minister is among those believed to be involved in the SNC Lavalin case.
On 23 February 2015, he was elected as the Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala State Committee.
