KOZHIKODE: Steps to win back its once-solid Hindu vote base, introducing mobile apps to circulate ideological insights and a move to fix greater responsibility on leaders for better mass outreach were among the key proposals that came up at the CPM extended state committee meeting in Kozhikode on Monday.
Effective intervention to ensure that festivals and celebrations are treated as common spaces rather than being branded as platforms to spread communal hatred is also something the CPM is seriously looking into. The move gains significance in the backdrop of recent open calls by some Muslim clerics against people from their community celebrating Onam.
Keen to regain its firm grip on the state’s electoral politics, the CPM has chalked out a slew of measures to win back its key political constituency. Poll reviews by both the state and central committees had underscored the need to make effective intervention in line with changing times.
Use of technological assistance via mobile apps to impart ‘party education’ is one of the key proposals. “Comrades can use mobile apps which will impart real-time information about the party’s ideological and political aspects. It can be used to improve political and ideological understanding,” said a leader.
Similarly, proposals have come up to revamp the party’s new media wing, making it a better propagator of Left ideology. More tech savvy individuals would be inducted into the teams. Some delegates also sought to use the party’s research machinery for in-depth studies into the growing right wing shift in Kerala society.
Wealth creation among leaders too was critically discussed.
‘Festivals should be common spaces and not watertight compartments’
Sources said a proposal is on the cards to cross verify the income of leaders and growth in wealth.
“Even now, during membership renewal, we have to declare our income along with that of our spouse. However, there is no cross-checking to see whether there’s any sudden growth. A proposal is on to verify the same, especially in the case of full-timers and those occupying key parliamentary positions,” said a senior leader.
Continuing with steps to entrust state leaders with greater responsibility of sorting out regional issues, a proposal came up that area committee members should be given charge of branch committees for day-to-day activities. Strengthening people’s connect by effective intervention in issues affecting their daily lives also found wide acceptance in the party.
Set to take on communal forces head-on as well as impress the majority, the party proposes to raise cultural as well as ideological resistance at the grassroots level.
Deliberate interventions should be made to ensure that all kinds of festivals and celebrations belong to everyone, said state secretary M V Govindan, while briefing the media. “Festivals and celebrations should be treated as a common space, not as watertight compartments. We should intervene to stop these spaces from being branded as something to be used to spread communal hatred against other religions,” he said.
Keen attention is also being given to address the emerging trends of right wing populism in society. Opposing both majority and minority communalism, superstitious and anti-women trends, while increasing scientific temper are among other key aspects.