THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the 24th party congress of the CPI is set to begin in Vijayawada on Friday, it may prove crucial for a couple of senior party leaders from the state. The party national leadership, which had suggested a set of guidelines including an upper age cap of 75 years for election to party forums, will introduce an amendment to the party constitution bringing in the mandatory age cap at the party congress.
With most state conferences toeing the age criterion, the national leadership is likely to strictly enforce the same without exemptions for anyone. In such a scenario, veteran leader K E Ismail, 82, now a national executive member, would find himself out of the national council. In such a scenario, another senior leader from the state -- most likely K Prakash Babu or E Chandrasekharan, both of whom national council members now -- could be inducted into the national executive.
Similarly, if the age criterion is strictly implemented, central control commission chairman Pannian Raveendran too may not find a berth in the national leadership. The party state conference held last week had dropped veterans Ismail, C Divakaran and Pannian from the state council. Even as the party is set to enforce the age criterion, there are still differing voices within the party.
The age cap proposed by the national council was not a decision per se, said national secretariat member Atul Kumar Anjaan. Before every party congress, guidelines are issued taking into consideration the prevailing political situation. The national council thought it would be appropriate to have maximum number of comrades in the 25-40, 40-60 and 60-75 age groups -- in that order -- coming to the party.
“Naturally, it doesn’t mean that only people below 40 are entertained.
Ours is a vast country with a mutidimensational society. Only those with enough experience can lead a political party. I was not part of the council that decided to bring in these guidelines. These are guidelines, which are supposed to guide, not to make one blind. It’s not a decision yet. Decisions are reflected in the party constitution,” Anjaan told TNIE. The party congress will also take a call on whether incumbent D Raja will get a second term as general secretary. Noticeably, Kanam Rajendran-led Kerala CPI is not very close to Raja.
Politically, the 24th party congress is crucial for the CPI, which has not been in good shape in many states now. The congress, which is being attended by 900 delegates, representing more than 6.5 lakh party cadre, is the highest platform for deliberations in the party. The congress has been conceived as a forum for criticism and self-criticism, said CPI national secretariat member and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam.
As the 24th Party Congress of the CPI is set to begin in Vijayawada on Friday, it may prove crucial for a couple of senior party leaders from the state. The party national leadership, which had suggested a set of guidelines including an upper age-cap of 75 years for election to party forums, will introduce an amendment to party Constitution bringing in the mandatory age-cap at the Party Congress.
With most state conferences toeing the age criteria, the national leadership is likely to strictly enforce the same without exemptions for anyone. In such a scenario, veteran leader KE Ismail, 82, now a national executive member, would find himself out of the national council. In such a scenario, another senior leader from the state - most likely K Prakash Babu or E Chandrasekharan, both of whom are now national council members - could be inducted into the national executive.
Similarly, if the age criteria is strictly implemented, Central Control Commission chairman Pannian Raveendran too may not find a berth in the national leadership. The party state conference held last week had dropped veterans KE Ismail, C Divakaran and Pannian from state council. Even as the party is set to enforce the age criteria, there are still differing voices within the party.
The age cap proposed by the national council was not a decision per se, said national secretariat member Atul Kumar Anjaan. Before every Party Congress, guidelines are issued taking into consideration the prevailing political situation. The national council thought it would be appropriate to have maximum number of comrades between 25-40 years, 40-60 years and 60-75 years - in that order - coming to the party.
"Naturally it doesn't mean that only people below 40 are entertained. Ours is a vast country with a muti-dimentional society. Only those with enough experience can lead a political party. I was not part of the council that decided to bring in these guidelines. These are guidelines, which are supposed to guide, not to make one blind. It's not a decision yet. Decisions are reflected in the party Constitution," he told TNIE.
The Party Congress will also take a call on whether incumbent D Raja will get a second term as general secretary. Noticeably, Kanam Rajendran led Kerala CPI is not very close to Raja.
Politically the 24th Party Congress is crucial for the CPI, which has been not in good shape in many states now. The CPI has however floated the idea of a secular, democratic platform to take on the BJP.
The Party Congress, which is being attended by 900 delegates, representing more than 6.5 lakh party cadres, is the highest platform for deliberations in the party. The Congress has been conceived as a forum for criticism and self-criticism, said CPI national secretariat member and Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam.
"In order to safeguard the secular foundation of the nation and to ameliorate the living conditions of the common man, the party has to work with multi-folded energy. The party Congress is expected to prep the party to take on the cardinal task of defeating divisive forces. The RSS-controlled BJP Government at the Centre, functioning on Fascist ideology, is undermining the basic structure of the Constitution and national life in all fronts," he said.
"Divisive politics anchored on communal hatred is the election strategy of the BJP. The BJP is going to fight the 2024 election also on the same political plank. Resisting BJP's game plan for the 2024 election is the major responsibility of secular and democratic forces. For that purpose, a broad based coalition of secular, democratic, and Left parties should emerge. The CPI has presented this agenda with a crystal clarity for the national debate. That is why parties of extreme right loathe the CPI and secular parties appreciate it," said Binoy Viswam, CPI national secretariat member.