The CPM Kerala unit has charted out a fresh action plan to encourage active interaction of its rank and file at all levels with the state government.
As part of the move, branch committee conferences will be held during the first two months of the new year.
The meetings will evolve methods for the effective coordination between the government and the three-tier local bodies for the timely disposal of grievances and ways to liaise with government agencies to address civic issues.
A district committee member will take part in each branch conference and present guidelines to increase ‘interaction’ between the government and the ordinary cadres of the party.
The move comes in the backdrop of the alleged rift between the government and the lower rung party apparatus. Voices of dissent have emerged from within the multi-layered organizational structure of the party over some of the decisions taken by the LDF government recently.
During the tenure of the V. S. Achuthanandan government, the chief minister and the party leadership infamously trod different paths. Current state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has made it clear that the party leadership would not encourage such an attitude and it would make every effort in building stable linkages with the government.
The party has around 35,000 branch committees in the state. Each district committee member will be given the charge of at least 30-35 branch conferences that will be attended by members representing local and area committees.
The party state secretariat has received several complaints that the government has been constantly ignoring demands put forth by partymen and apparatus at different levels.
Taking a serious note of the allegations, the top brass has given specific instructions to branch committees to take up local issues and act as a connecting link between the government and the party.
However, some groundwork and plans need to be drawn out before holding branch conferences.
One of the issues that bother the leadership pertains to the branch committees that remain idle.
Constituencies where MLAs are actively involved in local community causes has been witnessing timely solution to various civic problems. But there are assembly segments that continue to grapple with a host of basic problems.
It is also alleged that the MLAs representing some of the party strongholds have been lethargic towards meeting developmental needs of their constituency. They are confident that their poor show will not have a bearing on the party’s electoral prospects in future.
The party has taken all these issues into account before conceptualizing a new strategy involving lower party apparatus to expeditiously resolve public grievances.
In fact, the proposal to hold branch committee conferences was originally made at the party state conference held in Alappuzha last year. The decision to use lower committees to smoothen the government’s administrative functions was taken after the LDF returned to power in May.
The ongoing local committee meetings, held in the presence of district committee members, mainly discuss the state of the party’s organizational affairs post-election, internal disputes, apart from reviewing the existing political atmosphere at regional and local levels.
(With agency inputs)
