Kerala CPM Drops Confrontational Approach, Hopes For Centre’s Financial Support

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM convention of the Kerala unit which began Wednesday in Kollam is likely to drastically tweak some of its iron-clad policies on its approach to the BJP in the centre and drop its agitational attitude towards private industries.

All eyes are on party supremo Pinarayi Vijayan who would make a policy statement at the convention that would reflect the Chinese model of Marxism which does not shun capitalism.

Pinarayi got a rousing welcome when he arrived at the venue. He has been, of late, soft on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP even as the CPM indicated that it no longer believes that the saffron party has fascist tendencies.

With its finances in the doldrums, the CPM is likely to drop its confrontational approach with the Centre hoping for more funds and concessions to flow in.

Meanwhile, Pinarayi, who heads the powerful Kannur unit, further tightened his grip in the party with his district emerging as the largest unit of the CPM in the country with an impressive 65,550 members. The district unit operates through 18 area committees, 249 local committees, and 4,421 branches.

Of the total party members, 33 per cent are women—a representation unmatched by any other CPM unit in India. Until 2019, the 24 North Parganas district in West Bengal had the highest party membership in the country.