New Delhi: With CPM leader Prakash Karat’s tenure as general secretary slated to end next year, he is reportedly trying to get his man, 76-year-old S.R. Pillai, elected boss of the Marxist party. Going by the rule book, Mr Karat cannot continue as the party’s general secretary for more than three terms and has to hand over charge to a new leader during the CPM’s party congress next year. While Mr Karat could be trying to “rule by proxy” through Mr Pillai, there are voices in the party that want a young leader to take over.
The issue of a leadership change at various levels is expected to be discussed threadbare at the next CPM politburo in August this year. Sources said that by September the party will kick-start the process of re-electing its leaders at various levels in the run-up to the party congress to be held early next year.
A series of meetings will begin, starting from the local level to the block level and district level and up to the state level, for choosing their leaders, sources said. Demand for young leaders to take charge and greater involvement of youth is the buzzword in the party.
