By Liz Mathew, IANS
Coimbatore : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which begins its 19th party congress here Saturday, is likely to formulate guidelines on economic reforms and industrial policies to be followed by Left-ruled states.
Among the main agenda listed in a press note released Friday the party has suggested that the 722 delegates from various states will discuss the political-organisational report and the role and experience of Left-led governments.
The CPI-M, which has come under fire from its Left allies over its industrial policies in West Bengal, has decided to keep aside a good amount of time for a discussion on the issue after realising that its electoral base was hit by its failure in projecting its ideology in its bastions.
“Based on the experience of the Left-led governments in the past few decades, the party congress will set out a framework on how the Left-led governments can function in a situation where, after the phase of liberalization and the pursuit of neo-liberal economic policies by the
(central government), state governments are working under severe constraints,” CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat has said.
Writing in “People’s Democracy”, the party mouthpiece, Karat said: “It is in such a situation that the Left-led governments have to implement the pro-people measures and to help to project alternative policies at the national level.”
According to party sources, the CPI-M leadership feels that the Communist-led governments’ failure to pursue the reform agenda in tune with its ideology was leading to disintegration of its support base and blocking its expansion.
The CPI-M, which along with three other Left parties supports Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s coalition, will review the policies followed by the government.
CPI-M leaders will, over the next five days, discuss what has gone on over the last three years and future strategies besides international issues.
“It is a culmination of, one can legitimately describe as, the most democratic process of any political party can involve with,” CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat told reporters.
The CPI-M, which 982,000 members in its 82,000 branches, has received around 4,000 amendments to its political-organisational resolutions drafted by the politburo and the central committee.
“We will also discuss price rise, international issues,” she said.
Attending the party congress will be delegates from 24 countries and 26 fraternal organisations.
This would be the first CPI-M congress that will not be attended by veteran Marxists Jyoti Basu and Harkishen Singh Surjeet. On the inaugural day Saturday, Basu will air his message through video conferencing.
Although new members are expected to be elected to the politburo (which has 15 members), both Basu and Surjeet are likely to continue as members, despite their requests to keep them out due to bad health.