CPM should change style in Kerala, party must reach out to people, criticism in central committee meeting

NEW DELHI: The state leadership was harshly criticised in the CPM Central Committee meeting held after the poll debacle in the Kerala assembly elections. There was a directive to unite all groups and reach out to the people directly. The meeting also discussed complaints regarding candidate selection, with criticism that the leadership had ignored such concerns. A proposal was raised that the party should reconsider its political style in Kerala. However, the central leadership clarified that it is not considering any changes in the top leadership in the state.

In the wake of the election defeat, some leaders had reportedly directed replacing state secretary M V Govindan. The central leadership, however, made it clear in the beginning itself, that no such change would take place. However, the central committee is of the stand that it is not right for the party to continue in this style. It also emphasized that the party should not be centered around any one individual.

The meeting further criticized that excessive overconfidence affected the party. In several constituencies, concerns were raised regarding candidate selection, but the leadership was unwilling to discuss or consider them. The main reason for this was the party’s confidence to win. The committee also pointed that groups that had traditionally stood with the party were being alienated. Central Committee leaders opined that the state leadership should take steps to bring such groups back into the party fold.