CPI(M) central committee to be held in Ker capital from Jan 6

Thiruvanananthapuram : A three-day crucial central committee meeting of CPI(M) will convene here from January 6 to work out the political strategy to be adopted in the upcoming Assembly polls to be held later this year and deliberate on national issues.

It is for the first time that the Kerala capital is playing host for the party’s high-level meeting, though it had been the venue for several significant party events, including special party meeting and Party Congress.

The three-day meeting, which will conclude on January 8, will be attended by all central committee members of the party from across the country.

It is significant that the central committee is being held in Kerala, seven months after the party-led LDF, headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, assumed the office.

As a prelude to the central committee, the Politburo meeting would be held at the AKG Centre, the party headquarters here, on January 5, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told reporters here today.

“It is a usual practise to hold central committee meetings in places outside Delhi during the months of January and February. It was held in Hyderabad, Chennai and Calcutta before. It is for the first time that the central committee is convened in Thiruvananthapuram,” he said.

The central committee was convened in Kerala, Kochi and Kozhikode cities before, he said.

The meeting would discuss various national issues, the present political scenario at the national level and the stand to be taken by respective state leaderships of CPI(M) in the coming Assembly elections in states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab,he said.

“A public meeting will be held on January 7, the second day of the central committee, at Putharikkandam maidan here. Senior party leaders, including General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and veterans like Prakash Karat, Manik Sarkar and Brinda Karat will attend the programme,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked about the quick verification ordered by vigilance against state Minister for Cashew Development J Mercy Kutty, Balakrishnan said there was nothing unusual in conducting an enquiry when a complaint was received.

He also dismissed the opposition’s demand for the resignation of the minister in view of the QV.

PTI