Karat to be star lecturer at CPM class

Sources in the CPM said Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri is also likely to attend the session where Karat will narrate “rectification guidelines” to the selected party functionaries before the central committee ratifies it.

The issue of launching a rectification drive came to the fore immediately after the party’s disastrous performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections — both in Bengal and Kerala.

While the Bengal unit of the party cited the withdrawal of support from the UPA on the Indo-US nuclear deal as reason behind the party’s electoral setback,Karat identified “state-specific factor” as the main cause. Since June last year,Karat has been calling for introduction of a fresh manual for party functionaries — from Politburo at the top to the cadre at the bottom of the party’s structure.

“The drive is based on some general guidelines. The process itself admits that a section of our party functionaries are steeped in corrupt practices,” a senior party functionary who will be attending the special classes said.

“But who will identify the card holders involved in corruption? We have 3.2 lakh party members across the state. We have to create a mechanism to control them,lectures will not help curb such practices in the party,” the leader said.

Sources at the party’s headquarters on Alimuddin Street said complaints against corrupt functionaries are regular. “Earlier,we had decided that relatives of party members could not be involved in the construction business,but who listened?” asked a state committee member.