IN  the run up to the 21st Party Congress of the CPI(M) which is scheduled to be held from April 14-19 at Visakhapatnam, the Kerala state conference of the Party will be held from February 20-23 at Aleppy, the land of historic Punnapra-Vayalar struggle. Prior to the state conference, all 14 district conferences were held successfully. The reports were adopted unanimously. The selection of district committees and its secretaries was also unanimous.

Many spurious stories and controversies were created by reactionary forces to tarnish the image of the CPI (M) right from the beginning of the process of the conferences. When the branch conferences were over, people of Kerala became aware that these were cooked up stories. The same media later admitted that no factionalism prevails at the state level. At the same time they spread out stories that, at local level it exists and it will have repercussions in area conferences. When the local and area conferences concluded, people condemned these stories too to dust-bins.

When the district conferences began, they again shifted the stand and argued that in every district the local leaders are disregarding the general instructions of the state committee and are acting as they wish. For example, a curious story appeared in connection with Idukki district conference. The bottom line of the story was that a delegate stood up and raised slogan. It definitely proved as a desperate attempt of the media who were starved without having much to get for their rumour-mills, from the conferences. Everyone who attended that conference knew that no such incident occurred. All attempts to tarnish the Party got bounced on the well-knit organisational system.

Prior to district conferences, it was publicised that there will definitely be a contest for the post of secretary. But all district secretaries were elected unopposed. In seven districts, new secretaries were elected. Five secretaries were relieved as they served three consecutive terms.   Three comrades among the newly elected are now the members of the state committee. Four new secretaries are not in the state committee. It can be proudly said that selection of district secretaries and selection of district committees were unanimous and it once again proved the unity of the Party.

The cooked up stories made in connection with the discussions in district conferences, originated either from the ignorance about the process of functioning of conferences or to make the people confused. The Party had thoroughly discussed about the method to conduct the district conferences. All district conferences were held for three days. Conferences began with inaugural speech which dealt with common political and organisational positions, and then the report was presented. The delegates discussed the report thoroughly and analysed both achievements and shortcomings of the last three years. Criticism and self criticism are the common and core feature of the democratic functioning of a communist party. This process is occurring under the discipline of centralised democracy. Lies and half truths are frequently publicised by the media as they are ignorant about this process. They lack the primary knowledge about the conferences which are being held to share the experiences of the comrades in the last three years. We usually accept or reject the opinions emanating from these discussions and move further with more dynamism and vigour. Every district conference was a successful culmination of this process. The massive gathering in public meetings was the reflection of people’s faith and spirit towards the CPI (M).

These conferences once again demolished the wrong belief that there is no democracy in the Communist party and it prevails and flourishes in parties like Congress.  It is a fact that there is no democracy to elect the lower level committees in the so-called democratic parties. Many times we have witnessed the circumstances which led to the cancelling of the organisational elections in the Congress party.

CPI (M) has successfully trounced the systematic and continuous attacks to tarnish the image of the Party in recent years and the Party remains intact with its organisational strength. The growing strength can be seen through the numbers of Party members. During the previous conferences, number of members in the state was 3,70,818 and now it has been increased to 4,05,591. The number of Party branches increased from 28,525 to 29,841 and number of local committees from 1978 to 2076. There were 202 area committees during the last conference, and now it has reached 206.

The success of district conferences reflects the growth and strength gained through the political intervention during the last three years.  CPI (M) is the only party that always stood in the forefront in the struggle against the globalised economic policies.  The CPI (M)’s argument that a change of guard from the Congress to the BJP will not change the policies, has proved to be true.  

In Kerala, the incumbent government is trying to implement the same policies as that of the centre. The achievements gained through the struggle in the past are gradually depleted due to these polices. The state government is mired in corruption scandals. Even after the rulings from the court, the UDF government is unashamedly continuing its support to the tainted ministers. Everyday new revelations come up in the bribe for bar case against finance minister K M Mani. Disregarding the popular sentiments, he is reluctant to quit and at the same time Chief Minister Oommen Chandi does not want him to quit.

While launching rigorous struggles against the policies of centre and state governments, the CPI (M) successfully intervenes in various social issues. It has effectively launched a programme to manage the solid waste as the government failed miserably on this front. Party workers efficiently involved in pain and palliative care too. Since the government failed to take steps to revive the agriculture sector, the CPI (M) launched a massive movement to increase the yield.