Thiruvananthapuram,16 Jan (H.S.):The Central Committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) will begin today in Thiruvananthapuram, with a strong focus on preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections in five states, including Kerala. The high-level meeting is expected to assess the prevailing political situation, review election strategies, and deliberate on alliance dynamics at both the national and state levels.
According to party sources, the Central Committee will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the general political climate in the poll-bound states and take stock of organisational readiness for the elections. Electoral strategies, campaign planning, and tactical adjustments in response to shifting political equations are expected to dominate the discussions.
In the Kerala context, the meeting is likely to deliberate on granting an exemption to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to contest the Assembly elections. While the CPM follows an internal norm limiting the number of terms for legislators, the state leadership is reportedly keen that Pinarayi Vijayan continue to lead the party into the next election. The leadership believes his experience and political stature are crucial for steering the campaign and countering the opposition.
The Central Committee is also expected to discuss possible relaxations in the party’s term-limit norms for MLAs. This has raised speculation over whether senior leaders, including former health minister K K Shailaja, may be granted exemptions to re-enter the electoral fray. Another issue under consideration is whether sitting district secretaries will be allowed to contest elections, a move that could significantly reshape the party’s candidate list.
Additionally, the meeting may review feedback from the CPM’s recent door-to-door outreach programme in Kerala. The public response and political signals emerging from this mass contact initiative are expected to be presented before the Central Committee. Party General Secretary M A Baby is likely to brief members on the public sentiment gathered during the campaign and its implications for the party’s electoral strategy.
With crucial elections ahead, the Thiruvananthapuram meeting is being seen as a decisive moment for the CPM, particularly in Kerala, where leadership choices, candidate selection, and policy positioning could play a defining role in shaping the party’s electoral fortunes.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
