CPI(M) Kerala inducts four new members into State secretariat after party review

Key changes in CPI(M) in Keralam: P. Jayarajan, M.B. Rajesh and V. Sivankutty included in State secretariat

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Keralam has inducted four new members into its State secretariat following a three-day extended State committee meeting that wrapped up under central leadership supervision.

P. Jayarajan from Kannur, V. Sivankutty from Thiruvananthapuram, M.B. Rajesh from Palakkad, and John Brittas, special invitee to the Central Committee (CC), will now be part of the State secretariat. The changes mark what party insiders describe as corrective steps monitored by the central leadership led by general secretary M.A. Baby and other Polit Bureau (PB) members.

Expanded State committee and fresh invitees

Nine leaders have been brought into the State committee as permanent invitees. They include N. Sukanya from Kannur, O.S. Ambika from Thiruvananthapuram, Subaida Ishaq from Palakkad, Students Federation of India (SFI) national president Adarsh M. Saji, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) State secretary M. Vijin, DYFI national functionary Jaick C. Thomas, SFI State president M. Sivaprasad, State secretary P.S. Sanjeev, and poet Prabha Varma. Susan Kodi from Kollam, who was earlier excluded from the State committee, will be coopted into it.

Two CC members, T.P. Ramakrishnan and Thomas Isaac, have been removed from the State secretariat, though they retain the right to attend its meetings.

Internal discussions and election debacle

According to party sources, the leadership changes follow intensive discussions that took place over two days on a draft document presented by party State secretary M.V. Govindan. The document suggested guidelines for the revival of the party's fortunes after the Assembly election debacle in Keralam.

District secretariat members and functionaries of the party's class and mass organisations who participated in the discussions reportedly sought strong steps to overcome organisational weaknesses and stressed the need to fix responsibility on the leadership for the election defeat.

Significance of Jayarajan's elevation

Party sources said the elevation of Jayarajan, a popular leader from Kannur who earlier worked as the district secretary, was crucial. "He is seen as a critical insider. The central leadership, especially the PB, has now given clear indications about the need for internal criticism in the party. The PB is making such interventions after a long gap," a party insider said.

State secretary's response

Addressing the media, party State secretary M.V. Govindan claimed that there was no "restructuring of the leadership" as such, but it can be called "introduction of fresh faces". The CPI(M) leader refused to comment on media reports that said he had been "internally censured" by the central leadership.

"These are organisational issues. We will go to any extent to have a course correction. Discussions have been held even on my lapses. The party will take steps to correct mistakes at all levels," Govindan said.

Evaluation timeline and district meetings

Govindan said the course correction steps taken up by party committees would be evaluated every three months. The State committee would conduct its own evaluation every six months too. Extended district committee meetings would be held in all districts by October 18, followed by zonal-level meetings till October 25, he said.

Source: The Hindu