CPI(M) buries factional differences to elect Ernakulam district secretary

: Burying factional differences, P. Rajeev, MP, has been unanimously elected Ernakulam district secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the district-level meeting of the party ahead of the forthcoming Party Congress at Visakhapatnam.

The three-day meet, where 43 district committee members and 38 representatives for the upcoming state-level meeting were also elected, concluded on Thursday with a massive public meeting at Thripunithura addressed by the leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V.S. Achuthanandan and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

Changes in panel

Earlier, Dinesh Mani, who was functioning as secretary of the party in the district, had tendered his resignation citing health reasons.

Former district secretary Gopi Kottamurikkal, who had been expelled from the party following charges of sexual misdemeanour and taken back last year, has made a comeback to the district committee.

While some ageing members, including the spouse of the late leader E. Balanandan—Sarojini Balanandan—were removed from the district committee on health grounds, new additions were made to fill in vacancies.

‘Heartening’

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Rajeev said it was heartening that internal weaknesses arising primarily from factional differences were being overcome by the party in the district to rise to its full potential.

“My focus will be on strengthening the party, which has a conducive environment for growth in the district. Crises in the industrial, agricultural and traditional sectors demand labour interventions. Issues of the marginalised sections, casualties of urbanisation and environmental fallout of urban development would all be taken up seriously by the party in Ernakulam. In short, the objective realities of the times would be addressed by us,” he said.

Wooing youth

Admitting that there had been a dip in the inflow of the youth to the party, he said the new campaigns would bring the youth back into its fold.

Changes in its modes of campaign and organisational methods would be brought in to be in sync with contemporary realities, said Mr. Rajeev.