The three-day Maha Sabha of the CPI city unit will begin on Saturday. The 20 conclave will be kicked off with a rally from Tummalapalli Kshetrayya Kalakshetram to Lenin Centre at 6 p.m. The rally will culminate into a public meeting. Deliberations will take place at Kandukuri Kalyana Mandapam near Gymkhana Grounds.
The conclave is being organised behind schedule, as there is a rise in the number of aspirants for the city secretary post based on council strength.
The CPI city unit has the distinction of having a huge membership of up to 4,700 workers – one of the largest in the country. It has even surpassed the membership of a few States and is considered to be the strongest unit in the country.
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However, the party State leadership has directed the city unit to limit the council strength to 125. A 27-member executive and 12-member secretariat will be elected in the conclave. It is likely to disappoint many workers who are aspiring for a berth in the council.
Hitherto, there was a provision to enlarge the council depending on the city requirements such as agitations and activities to be taken up in future.
The conclave is supposed to have been organised in December-January. It, however, has been postponed due to ill-health of sitting city secretary K. Subba Raju. Generally, the district party conclave is organised after the city conclave. This time, the district maha sabha was already organised and A. Vanaja replaced Suryadevara Nageswara Rao as district secretary.
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The number of contenders for the coveted city secretary post is swelling, raising curiosity among party workers. Incumbent secretary K. Subba Raju, MLC Jelli Wilson, Palla Surya Rao, who worked as in-charge secretary, Donepudi Sankar, and G. Koteswara Rao are a few aspirants.
In view of the city strength, three leaders — Mr. Subba Raju, Koteswara Rao, and P. Durga Bhavani — were selected to represent the city in the party's national conclave scheduled to be held at Patna from March 27.
The Maha Sabha will elect new council, executive, and secretariat at the fag end of the meetings.