Madurai: At the ongoing 24th congress of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), party leaders discussed the need to campaign and inform the public that it is not against religious beliefs, but only opposed to the Hindutva forces appropriating these beliefs for political gain, ThePrint has learnt.
In a meeting, delegates pointed to the rising influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Hindutva forces across the country, including Kerala where the Left has a stronghold, according to sources. A delegate from Kerala spoke about how the party needs to work to regain the confidence of the people as the 2024 Lok Sabha results showed that a portion of the party’s votes went to “Hindutva forces”.
In response, a CPI(M) central committee member stressed the need to explain to the public that the party is not atheist, it is learnt. Other central committee members also noted that several party members are believers themselves.
The party congress discussed that it is important to reach out to believers of multiple faiths, a delegate from Tamil Nadu confirmed. “It is not just among the Hindus. The feeling of religiosity has increased among all faiths, including Christians in Kerala. It was discussed that we should not be alienated from those believers as an atheist party,” the delegate told ThePrint.
Another delegate from Tamil Nadu said these discussions have been ongoing since the previous congress in 2022. “However, the action plan is not clear. We cannot go all out in favour of the festivals and the rituals as well. So, it is like walking a tightrope.”
Focusing on the political and economic struggles against the Hindutva forces, sources in the party also told ThePrint that a central committee member said that an important aspect of politics that the party should concentrate on is the cultural aspect, where the Hindutva forces are progressing and the party is lacking. The member stressed the need to intensify the party’s campaign on the cultural platforms, including cinema, art, literature and street plays.
CPI(M)’s 24th Congress began on 2 April and ends on 6 April. Before closing, it is scheduled to elect the party’s general secretary after the demise of former general secretary Sitaram Yechury in September last year.
On 4 April, the party congress also adopted the draft political resolution with 174 amendments received from the delegates.
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Rise in women & youth membership
At the party congress, the party Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavulu also submitted the draft organisational report, which highlighted the increase in the number of women and young members in the party.
According to the report, there was only a slight increase in the overall membership of the party from 9.86 lakh members in 2021 to 10.19 lakh in 2024. However, the percentage of women members increased from 18.2 percent in 2021 to 20.2 percent in 2024. Similarly, the percentage of youth in the party also rose from 19.5 percent in 2021 to 22.6 percent in 2024.
This increase was attributed to the party’s active protests on the issues of land and livelihood in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and other states.
“The party actively supported the struggles led by Central Trade Unions against the attack on working class rights, and also the struggles led by the farmers. It has helped the party in gaining the trust of the people,” Raghavulu told media persons Saturday.
The party congress also adopted 13 resolutions on 4 and 5 April, including the demands to withdraw the “divisive and unjust” Waqf (Amendment) Bill, restore full statehood and democracy to ensure rapid development of Jammu and Kashmir, and extend reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to the private sector.
The party congress is likely to select its central committee members, who in turn will be picking the general secretary of the party. According to sources, CPI(M)’s international wing in-charge M.A. Baby from Kerala is likely to be named the next general secretary.
“Senior members, including Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat, are relieving themselves from the polit bureau with this congress. The next most senior leader is B.V. Raghavulu, former state secretary of unidivided Andhra Pradesh, and international wing in-charge M.A. Baby. It is highly likely that Baby will get the support of the central committee because of the high representation of members from Kerala,” a delegate at the congress told ThePrint.
If appointed as the general secretary, Baby will be the second person from Kerala to hold the position after E.M.S. Namboodiripad—the first general secretary of CPI(M) when it was formed in 1964.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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