THE CPI(M) and the Left has to rededicate itself and lead wider peoples movements to defeat the pro-rich, pro-corporate neo-liberal economic policies and communalism, exhorted Prakash Karat, CPI(M) general secretary while addressing the open session of the 20th Odisha state conference of the CPI(M) at Bhubaneswar. The only way to combat and defeat the twin dangers of neo-liberalism and communalism is to strengthen the CPI(M) and the Left and to further widen the mass movements. In Odisha, the Party has to concentrate on the activities among the adivasis, dalits and the most marginalised sections of the society. The 20th state conference began with an open session on January 3 and concluded on January 5, 2015. Braving incessant rain and biting cold that engulfed the state of Odisha for three to four days before the conference, dalits, adivasis and other toiling people marched in thousands with banners and placards in Bhubaneswar on January 3. A good number of them were women. The massive rally converged in a mass meeting at Rastravasha Prachar Samiti ground and was presided over by Laxman Munda, MLA. While addressing the rally, Prakash Karat, further said that the ache din slogan of the BJP and Modi has been proved to be hollow by people’s experience. It has turned out to be ache din for corporate houses like Adani of Gujarat, whose assets have increased by Rs 25,000 crores in the last seven months. On the other hand, all the social welfare expenditure has been slashed, MGNREGA has been diluted, whatever paltry labour rights were there have been curtailed, land acquisition has been made easier and hurdle-free for the corporates. Hence, ache din are for whom, asked Prakash Karat. Modi government’s move to increase FDI cap in insurance and plan to renew US-India strategic military alliance are meant to please the US. The RSS and other Hindutva forces are aggressively carrying on their activities to create communal hatred and division. He exhorted that the CPI(M) and the Left has to lead and win the battle against these twin dangers because no other national or regional bourgeoisie parties can lead the struggle against the fallouts of neo-liberal policies, for communal amity and secular values. Suryakanta Mishra, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member narrated the experience of the valiant fight of our comrades in West Bengal against the murderous assault of both the TMC government and the BJP and said that as in the past, in future too, the Red flag will be victorious with people’s support and no amount of terror or repression can stop the victory march of the Red flag. Janardan Pati, secretary of Odisha state committee lambasted the anti-people policies and brazen corruption of the BJD government in the state and its anti-people policies and called upon the people to fight back. The Red flag was hoisted at the meeting place by Prakash Karat and tributes were paid to the martyrs by garlanding the Martyrs column. Prakash Karat inaugurated the conference. A five member presidium with Ali Kishore Patnaik, Harihar Das, Biswanath Mohapatra, Basant Majhi and Sushila Munda was elected to conduct the proceedings of the conference and members of the secretariat to the steering committee. The political–organisational report was placed by the secretary, Janardan Pati. The report gave details on the socio-economic and political situation of the state and activities of the Party and mass organisations since the last three years. The report was a comprehensive self-critical review of the campaigns and mass movements and its success and shortcomings. In the period under review, the Party could expand into tribal dominated districts of Nawarangpur, Gajapati and Malkanagiri. 43 delegates participated on the discussion on the report and it was adopted unanimously. A total of 229 delegates and 41 observers representing different districts and mass fronts attended the conference. Ten veteran comrades were also invited to attend the conference as special invitees. 224 delegates submitted their credential forms and 21 of them are women. 74 comrades from working class front, 73 from kisan, 10 from agricultural labour, 15 from adivasis, 14 from women, 20 from student and youth, 7 from teachers, 2 from lawyers and 8 from other fronts attended the conference. Among them 3 comrades are from below 25 years age group, 4 between 26 to 30, 33 between 31-40, 53 from 41-50, 129 from 51-70 and 7 comrades above 70 years age group. Daitari Nayak, who was a special invitee, is the oldest comrade (88 years). Sivaji Patnaik is the oldest delegate (84 years) and youngest comrade is Manoj Mirdha (25 years). Out of the total delegates, 5 Comrades joined the Party between the years 1947-60, 55 between 1960-80, 119 between 1980-2000, 41 between 2000-2010 and 5 comrades after 2010. 30 delegates from working class, 45 from middle class, 8 form agricultural labour, 74 from poor peasants, 52 from middle peasantry, 11 from rich peasants and 5 comrades were from landlord class backgrounds. 113 delegates were whole-timers. The social composition of the delegates was: adivasis-22, dalits-16, OBCs-80, general category-101 and 4 from minority community. 103 comrades had jail-life experience of below one year and 5 comrades had above 5 years experience. 40 comrades have had underground experience. 24 delegates attended the state conference for the first time, 35 for the second time, 26 for the third time, 18 for the fourth time, 61 have attended between 5-10 times, 27 comrades between 10-15 times and 2 comrades have attended for 15-20 times. Sivaji Patnaik has attended all the 20 conferences. Suryakanta Mishra, in his final remarks stressed the importance of building three unities – unity of will, thought and action. He stressed on building mass organisations, mass movements and to build up the Party organisation and called upon the comrades to build up a strong Party with wider mass base among dalit, adivasis and the most exploited sections of the society. The 20th conference has elected a state committee of 31 members and a 10-member secretariat with Ali Kishore Patnaik as secretary of Odisha state committee. The members of the secretariat are Janardan Pati, Jagannath Mishra, Santosh Das, Dusmanta Das, Bishnu Mohanty, Suresh Panigrahy, Sisir Hui, Nirmal Nayak and Puspa Das. The state committee also elected Basant Majhi as editor, Samyabadee and a seven member delegation to the 21st Party Congress to be held at Vishakhapatnam in the month of April 2015. The 20th Odisha state conference adopted 12 resolutions on different issues relating to livelihood issues like health, education and against neo-liberal onslaught and communalism. The conference resolutely called upon the Party to build up campaigns and continue movement on the basic issues of people like land, house sites, for more wages and work, for proper implementation of MGNREGA and Forest Right Act, against unemployment and corruption of BJD government and against Hindutva agenda of RSS and BJP in Odisha and on other social issues.