CPI-M unlikely to have permanent Gen Secy till next year

Kolkata: Due to the unexpected and untimely death of the former CPI(M) general secretary, Late Sitaram Yechury, earlier this month, the party will likely continue to operate under the collective leadership of the departing politburo until the following year, maybe with the help of a "central coordinator." The next party congress is set to take place in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in April 2025.

Sources said that the decision was taken at the two-day politburo meeting of the party on Friday and Saturday. The politburo decision is probably bringing an end to speculations that there might be an interim and acting general secretary of the party till the next party congress, IANS reported.

However, the probable factor of the stamp on the politburo decision will be final only after the central committee meeting of the party on Monday, since as per party constitution any decision of the party politburo is subject to the final clearance of the central committee.

“The party constitution does not allow us to have the post of ‘working general secretary’. There is nothing called ‘interim’ in our party. The new central committee and the politburo will be selected at the next party Congress in Madurai next year. There only the new party general secretary will be selected,” confirmed a politburo member from West Bengal.

He admitted that this is the first time that the party has faced a situation where an existing general secretary has passed off before the end of his term.

Yechury was supposed to be replaced at the Madurai party congress as he would have completed his third term as the party general secretary.

Sources said he could have played an important role in finalising the next face as his successor.