CPM shoots down move to make party ‘younger’

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He also proposed a process to ensure that 20 per cent of members of all committees change every three years.

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The party, however, struck down the proposal made by the 47-year old leader from Kerala. Sources said politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai, one of the contenders for the post of the new general secretary of the party, said such changes could not be done in a “mechanical manner”. Rajeev was elected unopposed as the new Ernakulam district secretary of the CPM earlier this year.

His proposal comes at a time when the party is struggling to attract youth, both as members and as voters.

In its draft political organisational report to be discussed on Sunday, the party has acknowledged an “ageing of party membership” which, it says, shows that “young people are not coming forward to join the party”.

According to the report, only 6.5 per cent of all party members are under the age of 25, and only 13.6 per cent are in the age group of 26-31. Nearly 50 per cent are in the age group of 32-50 and 27 per cent are between 50 and 70.

“The has adverse impact on activities of the party,” the report says.