CPM for watch on cadre assets,cap on terms as secy

The CPM grand plan to cleanse the organisation is ready. And on the anvil are plans to put a cap on the number of times a person can become...

The CPM grand plan to cleanse the organisation is ready. And on the anvil are plans to put a cap on the number of times a person can become a secretary powerful posts in the partys hierarchy at all levels and setting up of a mechanism to monitor assets and income of comrades.

It is learnt that the partys Central Committee,which met here for three days,has in principle decided that those getting elected to the post of secretary can only serve a maximum of three terms. However,there is no clarity on whether the rule will apply to the general secretary.

Sources said the proposal would only come into effect after it gets the clearance of the Party Congress,the highest decision making body of the CPM. Although the Central Committee agreed to put forward the proposal before the 2011 Party Congress,sources said exceptions could be made. We want to bring it as a norm. But it cannot and will not be mechanically implemented. The interests of the party would also be taken into consideration, a senior leader told The Indian Express.

The argument was that secretaries are the most powerful functionaries in the party order,and the system of one person heading a committee whether local,district or state for years together leads to favouritism and stagnation. There was also a suggestion that the terms of office-bearers,including Politburo members,be fixed.

While the idea is to bring in fresh blood,sources said it is not clear whether the general secretary would be brought under the rules purview. While CPM Kerala state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is serving his third term as state secretary,its general secretary Prakash Karats second term.

The Central Committee finalised the rectification document,Karat said after the meeting. Although the party did not make the document public,sources said a central disciplinary commission would be set up soon to oversee the exercise,the first phase of which is set to be completed by June next year.

The idea is to stem the organisational rot and rectify wrong trends. The party has identified the wrong trends,which are basically a tendency among some comrades to kowtow to the capitalist class and to lead a lavish lifestyle,besides the increasing instances of favouritism,corruption and deviation from ideology.

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The document has prepared guidelines for strengthening democratic centralism as the organisational principle of the party,ensuring proper integration of parliamentary and extra-parliamentary work,maintenance of Communist norms and values and remoulding the outlook of the party members towards upholding progressive values, the Central Committee said in a statement,summarising the rectification campaign.

CPM backs govt on Arunachal

NEW DELHI: The CPM on Sunday stood behind the Government on the issue of the border dispute with China,and said the partys stand on Arunachal Pradesh was clear,that it was a part of India. Prakash Karat quoted the Prime Minister to argue that all talks of increasing tensions at the border are baseless. The prime ministers of both countries have categorically denied it and have noted that there is no uneasiness in ties,he noted.

Karat said the border disputes between India and China could be resolved if both countries continued to work on the basis of the political parameters agreed upon in 2005,which had good provisions. And as far as the CPMs stand was concerned,he said: Arunachal is a part of India.