THE 24th Congress of the CPI(M), which concluded at Madurai on April 6 with a massive rally, was notable in many respects. There were changes both in the agenda and content of the Congress discussions.

First of all, a Political Review Report which reviewed the implementation of the political-tactical line adopted at the 23rd Congress was presented along with the Draft Political Resolution for discussion by the delegates. Usually the political review is part of the Political-Organisational Report, which is discussed after the Political Resolution is adopted.

The Political Review Report had gone into some depth on how the political-tactical line was implemented and the strong and weak points of this experience. This enabled the Party units and ranks to understand what are the factors that impeded the growth of the independent strength of the Party.  Though the Party membership increased by 33,252 (3.37 per cent) since the 23rd Congress and the membership of all the mass organisations by 64 lakhs, there was no appreciable increase in the independent strength and political influence of the Party. Hence the running thread in both the discussions – on the Draft Political Resolution and the Draft Report on Organisation – was what needs to be done to enhance the strength and mass base of the Party.

The main task set forth in the Political Resolution – the isolation and defeat of the BJP-RSS – is linked to this imperative need to increase the strength of the CPI(M) and the Left. While the CPI(M) will continue to work for and cooperate with all democratic and secular forces to build a broad unity to fight the BJP to defend democracy, secularism and federalism, it will give priority to the political, ideological and organisational work to expand the strength of the Party.

In this connection, the discussions in the Congress and the Political Resolution adopted has given a proper direction on how to wage a continuous struggle against the Hindutva ideology and the communal politics of the BJP-RSS.  The Party at all levels will be stepping up the ideological work in the political, cultural and social spheres. The Hindutva-corporate regime is displaying neo-fascist charateristics and this impels the urgency of this struggle.

The other direction given by the political-tactical line is to intensify class and mass struggles, with an emphasis on developing local struggles on a sustained basis. It is these local struggles which will connect the masses to the Party and enable the political consolidation of its influence.  The struggle against the rural rich nexus comprising landlords-rich capitalist farmers-contractors and big traders, by the rural poor constitutes the basic class struggle in the countryside. 

The Report on Organisation addresses the main theme of increasing the independent strength and mass base of the Party. The major points in this regard are the steps to be taken to improve the quality of Party membership and activising the basic unit – the branch.  While some progress has been made in these tasks, much more remains to be done. An important aspect of improving the quality of membership is the induction of more women and youth in the Party.  Women constitute 20.2 per cent of the total membership and the next step is to achieve the target of 25 per cent set by the Kolkata Plenum on Organisation.

A crucial factor for the future growth of the Party is the need to attract large numbers of youth to the Party.  The Kerala unit of the Party has done a commendable job by having 29 per cent of its total membership being young people of 31 years and below.  Both the political resolution and organisational report have called for a youth-oriented political platform and propagating socialism as the real alternative amongst the youth.

The new Central Committee elected by the Congress has thirty new faces out of 85 members.  The 20 per cent quota for women in the Committee was also fulfilled with 17 women members elected.  An 18-member Polit Bureau and the new General Secretary, M A Baby, were elected by the new Central Committee.  This renewed leadership and team can be relied upon to go forth in implementing the political and organisational tasks set out by the Congress.

The 24th Congress was efficiently hosted by the Tamilnadu state committee and the preparations for the Congress saw enthusiastic participation of Party members at all levels. The Congress instilled a quiet confidence and resolve amongst all delegates that the way has opened to march ahead.

(April 9, 2025)