THE 15th Delhi state conference of the CPI(M) was held on December 16-17, 2017 at Vijay Enclave in Dwarka. The conference began on December 16 with Baldev Singh, the eldest Party member in the state, unfurling the Party flag amidst thunderous slogans.

Inaugurating the conference, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat spoke at length on the national and international developments. He mentioned that even a decade after the world economic crisis of 2007-08, there is still crisis in the developed capitalist countries. Right wing forces in Europe and America have used this situation to increase their strength significantly. The election of Trump who represents the most reactionary sections of the American ruling class as president of America is a prime example of this trend. At the same time, Left platforms have emerged in some European countries on an anti neo-liberal agenda. He referred in detail to the attacks unleashed by the Modi government on common people through fervent pursuit of neo-liberal policies, promotion of communal polarisation and attacks on the minorities and attacks on democratic rights and institutions as well as on freedom of the media and judiciary. In essence, the BJP is working overtime to establish a communal authoritarian order. The toiling sections of the people – workers and kisans as well as other sections like students are fighting back the neo-liberal offensive and the days to come will witness increase in mass and class struggles. He also pointed out the need to form broad platforms to effectively combat the communal threat. He called upon the delegates to work towards increasing the independent initiative, struggles and strength of the Party as well as work towards strengthening Left unity.   

The conference was attended by 178 delegates out of whom 61 participated in the discussion. Most delegates responded positively to the report of activities and organisation placed before them by the state secretary. They concurred with the assessment of the report regarding improvement in the mass approach of the leadership. They also appreciated other positive developments like the big increase in organising activities on issues of dalits, attempts to form a broad platform against communalism, playing a major role in organising joint actions of Left parties, expansion of work of the TU front to newer sections including contractual workers and state government employees growth in activities and membership of the women’s front etc. On the other hand, the report as well as the delegates pointed out the weakness of the state leadership in understanding policy issues and linking them with day-to-day struggles; lapses in Party education at various levels; weakness in branch functioning, especially with regard to taking up local level issues; persisting weakness in collection of levy at the prescribed rate etc. Many delegates raised concerns about the weak state of the youth front and emphasized the need to recruit youth into the Party from all mass fronts. The need to develop new cadre for the Party and mass organisations was also underlined by many delegates. Overall the discussions in the conference were positive in content and were primarily centred around the key issue of how to advance the Party in the state.

Five resolutions were unanimously adopted in the conference. The conference was attended by 46 women and 132 male delegates. On the basis occupation 52.7 per cent of the delegates were from working class, 33.7 per cent from middle class and 13.7 per cent delegates were Party whole timers. Out of total 178 delegates, 25 were from Scheduled Castes, 30 from Other Backward Classes and 28 were from the minorities.

Concluding the conference, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat emphasized on waging struggles on local issues of people of Delhi especially the issues of working class while at the same time fighting back the communal offensive. In the process we will have to confront the anti-people policies and actions of both the BJP led central government as well as the AAP state government. At the same time we should not hesitate to oppose measures of the central government to curtail the rights of the elected state government. She concluded by adding that it is only the CPI(M) and the Left forces which can together fight the onslaught on the people of Delhi and India which is possible only with expansion of our Party’s independent strength.

The conference elected a 30 member state committee and four permanent invitees to state committee which in turn elected KM Tiwari as the state secretary. A nine-member state secretariat, comprising KM Tiwari, PMS Grewal, Nathu Prasad, Anurag Saxena, Asha Sharma, Brijesh Kumar Singh, PI Raveendranathan, Sehba Farooqui and Subir Banerjee was also elected by the state committee.