NALGONDA was the epicentre of the Telangana Armed Struggle which brought to fore the land issue.  Nalgonda which had a background of Left struggles and strong Left movement hosted the second conference of CPI(M) Telangana from February 4-7, 2018. A huge rally led by the red-shirt volunteers preceded the inauguration of the conference.

The conference began with the hoisting of the red flag by Kunja Bojji, former MLA and senior leader of CPI(M), at Comrade Narra Raghava Reddy Nagar on February 4. Mallu Lakshmi, G Nagaiah, Sunnam Rajaiah, Kille Gopal and Aashaiah formed the presidium for the delegate session.

Delivering his inaugural address, Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary spoke about the current political situation in the country and underlined that sustained struggles should be carried on against economic exploitation and social oppression. Thereafter fraternal leaders from Left parties and others addressed the inaugural session and greeted the conference.

While Chada Venkata Reddy, CPI said that a broad platform of the Left and secular forces is necessary to fight the BJP, other Left party leaders welcomed the formation of Bahujan Left Front in Telangana.  They congratulated the CPI(M) for taking the initiative in forming the front and appealed the CPI to also join the front.

After the conclusion of the inaugural session, Thammineni Veerabhadram, CPI(M) state secretary placed before the conference the political and organisational report through a power point presentation.  He dealt at length on the political situation in the state and the impact of the 4000 kilometre long Mahajana Padayatra which led to the formation of T-MASS (Telangana Mass and Social Organisations Forum) and subsequently to the formation of the BLF.  He also detailed the organisational structure and the implementation of the decisions of the Kolkata Plenum in Telangana.

The following tasks were adopted at the conference:

POLITICAL TASKS:

1 The programme of Bahujana Left Front should be popularised in a big way. Extensive campaigns should be organised in 2018 for increasing our base in the people. Party as a whole has to concentrate on this.

2     We have to build Left unity. There may be some differences but to a maximum possible extent we have to explore opportunities for working together with unity.

3     While protecting the independent character of the Party, the social relations with whom we have come into contact through our effort in cultural and ideological fronts should be influenced by our ideology.

OUR MOVEMENT:

1     Efforts on economic and social issues have to be continued with more intensity. Local issues should be studied and struggles at district and mandal level have to be developed.

2     The issues of youth and women should be taken up with much more concentration. Special campaigns have to be planned and these campaigns have to be carried at the state level.

3     Efforts should be made for state wide movements on the issues of people by the Bahujana Left Front along with other Left parties.

On the Political and Organisational report, delegates from 30 district committees, two organising committees, and around 30 mass organisations and fronts spoke.  While they strengthened the report through their submissions, overall there was unanimity on the report. The report and the tasks were unanimously adopted after the reply by Thammineni Veerabhadram.

Formation of a Left and Democratic Front throughout the country is our goal, stated CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Prakash Karat. Addressing the delegates on the third day of the conference, he said that the Party activities in Telangana are taking place in accordance with the decisions of the Vishakhapatnam Conference and Kolkata Plenum. The formation of Bahujana Left Front (BLF) in Telangana is a step forward in right direction. Struggles on social issues have to be built simultaneously with the economic struggles, he said.  Then only social justice will prevail. There is need to unite the Left and democratic forces in the country. CPI(M) should increase its own strength. The conduct of the Mahajana Padayatra and the formation of BLF are the steps in this direction only. Class exploitation and social oppression should be fought together. Work should be done by focusing on different sectors and issues viz, caste problems, social issues, the poor, workers, farmers, agricultural workers etc., he suggested.  The Modi government at the centre and KCR government in the state are attacking the working class. Workers are losing their rights as a result of neoliberal policies being pursued by the central and state governments. Workers should build united struggles for the realisation of their rights, he said. Agricultural crisis is prevailing in the country. Farmers are agitating in the BJP ruled states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Broader struggles should be launched by mobilising the farmers. Left unity is of utmost importance, he stressed. Joint struggles should be launched on issues. He expressed hope that the forthcoming Party Congress to take place from April 18-22 at Hyderabad will help the development and growth of the Party.        

B V Raghavulu, Polit Bureau member, addressing the delegates in the concluding session of conference, asserted that the capacity to fight exploitation, oppression and hegemony, is with the Communists only. The struggles and movement against Hindutva religious fundamentalism and neoliberal economic policies should continue simultaneously. He said that a great opportunity has come before the Party, to fight for social justice in the country. The RSS and the BJP are trying to divide the country. Nefarious attempts are continuing to disrupt the unity of the country, through polarisation of people on caste, religious lines. He called for the Party cadres to march forward with unity, discipline and fighting spirit. The movement for social justice is in the foreground of the struggle against religious fundamentalism, he said. Attempts are being made to strengthen unity among Hindus, on the basis of religion and oppress the minorities. He asked the cadres to be vigilant of such attempts. Defeating or weakening BJP is not possible, merely through uniting the bourgeoisie parties or through election alliances or seat adjustments, he said. Weaknesses of the religious fundamentalism should be attacked. The BJP could not make inroads in south India, he said. The fact that, social movements and struggles against caste discrimination, casteism are already taking place here is the reason for this. Religious fundamentalist forces are opposing reservations, in different forms, he noticed. Religious fundamentalism could be fought only through simultaneously carrying on the struggle against neoliberal policies.   

Resolutions were discussed and passed on 44 issues like – anti-worker amendments to the labour laws, minimum wages, scheme workers, contract outsourcing workers, unorganised sector workers, comprehensive law for agricultural labour, rural employment guarantee scheme, on forcible land acquisition, women’s reservation bill, caste discrimination, caste oppression, on issues of girijans, on BC sub-plan, on development of MBCs, on protection of minorities, reservations in private sector, development of scientific thinking, on FRDI bill, on education, on health care, on PDS and other major issues of the people.

The state conference elected a 60-member state committee with a 13-member state secretariat. Thammineni Veerabhadram was unanimously elected for the second time as the state secretary of the CPI(M). It was decided to take nine invitees and three senior comrades as special invitees. The conference also elected the control commission with five members, with S Vinay Kumar as the chairman.

The conference concluded with a strong commitment to make all preparations for the successful conduct of the Party Congress in Hyderabad.