KOCHI: The CPM and its feeder organisations — including CITU, DYFI, SFI and Balasangam — have seen a massive spurt in memberships in Ernakulam district over the past two years, indicating the growing popularity of the party. Revealing the figures ahead of the party’s district conference, slated to begin on December 14 in Kalamassery, district secretary C N Mohanan said primary membership has seen a 25% rise compared to 2018, currently standing at 41,618.
Meanwhile, the collective membership of the feeder organisations has seen an increase of 2.5 lakh new members, taking the total membership to 19 lakh. Recently, the party had merged some local committees, reducing their total number to 162 from 182. The CPM has 3,121 branch committees in the district.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the delegates’ meet at 10 am. Given the Covid protocol, the number of delegates will be restricted to 180, instead of the usual 300. The CPM district committee currently has 39 members. The district conference will elect a new committee, which will have 45 members. Six members of the current district committee have been demoted following the party’s poor performance in Ernakulam district in the assembly elections.
“In the assembly elections held earlier this year, the party got five seats in Ernakulam. We were expecting victory in seven seats, and following the unexpected defeats of winnable candidates in Tripunithura and Perumbavoor, some senior leaders were demoted from the district committee,” Mohanan said.
Asked whether the conference would look into the defeats and the actions taken against some senior leaders, the CPM district secretary said the party had already discussed the issue and corrective measures taken.“The issue has been settled,” he said.
However, senior leader and CPM district conference welcome committee chairman K Chandran Pillai said the party will discuss its achievements in the past three years during the conference and will have a look at the issues, if any, that need to be addressed for the party’s growth in the district.