Visakhapatnam: Putting an end to speculation, the newly-formed central committee of the CPM on Sunday elected senior politburo member Sitaram Yechury as its new general secretary on Sunday, the concluding day of the party’s 21st congress. The new general secretary said the future of human civilisation lies in socialism.
Mr Yechury is the fifth general-secretary of the CPM and replaces Mr Prakash Karat, who stepped down after three terms. His election was unanimous, after Mr Karat proposed his name and Kerala leader S. Ramachandran Pillai, seconded it. At one point, Mr Pillai was said to be in the race for the party’s top post.
The party’s new central committee has 91 members, besides five special invitees and as many permanent invitees. Veteran leaders V.S. Achuthanandan, Buddh-adeb Bhattacharya and Nirupam Sen were dropped from the central committee.
The new committee elected 16 politburo members, including two women — Brinda Karat and Subhashini Ali. Speaking soon after his election, Mr Yechury said that the 21st congress has paved the way for the future of the country, the CPM, and also Left unity.
He went on to attack the Narendra Modi-led Central government for its policies; saying that a new “Trimurti” had been unleashed — communalism, neo-liberal economic policies and erosion of democratic practices. “We have to ensure that Mr Modi’s ‘trimurti’ does not beco-me a trishul that will pierce the heart of India,” he added.
“The crisis created by capitalism is deepening not only in India but also in other countries. Communism and socialism are the only solutions to this crisis,” he said. “Our task is to strengthen Left unity and the democratic forces to thwart the attempts of communal forces and BJP government’s neo-liberal polices,” said the new party chief.
The CPM congress reviewed the political tactical line and it was also decided to hold an organisational plenum by the year-end when the decision on how to strengthen the party would be taken. “The situation is ripe for class struggle and CPM has the capacity to lead the movement. We will win,” Mr Yechury said.
