CPI(M) Pathanamthitta meet to take stock of poll setback, internal challenges

The two-day extended district committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Pathanamthitta will be held on October 6 and 7, with the party set to review its electoral setback and deliberate on measures to strengthen the organisation and revive the Left Democratic Front (LDF) machinery in the district.

The deliberations will begin after district secretary Raju Abraham presents his working report on the opening day. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member A. Vijayaraghavan will inaugurate the meeting.

CPI(M) central committee members T.M. Thomas Isaac, P. Rajeeve, and P. Sathi Devi, along with State secretariat members V.N. Vasavan, Saji Cherian, P.K. Biju, M.V. Jayarajan, P. Jayarajan and John Brittas are scheduled to attend. The meeting will conclude with a public rally and public meeting.

According to Mr. Abraham, the meeting will take decisions aimed at strengthening the party’s organisational capabilities and expanding its mass influence. A total of 106 delegates will attend, including district committee members, area committee secretaries, three representatives from each area committee and three representatives from class and mass organisations.

Absence of Veena

The meeting comes amid discussion within the party over the prolonged absence of former Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Veena George from party programmes and organisational meetings since the Assembly election six months ago. The party leadership, however, maintains that Ms. George has been on leave from the party on medical grounds.

“We understand that she had taken leave from the party citing medical reasons. We do not know about any developments since then. Since she is a State committee member, she is not required to inform the district committee. All such matters are handled at the State committee level,” said Mr. Abraham.

The LDF, which had won all five Assembly seats in Pathanamthitta in the previous term, lost four this time. Even in Konni, where it retained the seat, its victory margin was significantly reduced. The coalition had fielded four sitting MLAs in the district, including a Minister.

The meeting comes at a critical juncture for the CPI(M) in Pathanamthitta, with the party facing the fallout of the Sabarimala gold case, in which senior leader A. Padmakumar has been named as an accused.