Any face of CPM must appeal to youth, says Sitaram Yechury

“Any face of the party has to appeal to the youth as they make up for two thirds of our population. They are not showing any interest in us at present..,” Yechury said, adding it was important for the party to look into its style of communication, work and conduct among others.

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The draft political-organisational report of the party has acknowledged that its “ageing membership” shows “young people are not coming forward to join the party”. While 50 per cent of the party’s members are in the age group of 32-50, 27 per cent are between 50 and 70.

Yechury also acknowledged the party’s failure to make inroads in the Hindi speaking belt. “We have to see why we are not advancing in the Hindi speaking belt.Our focus now is that class struggle stands on two legs – struggle against both economic and social suppression. If we don’t take these two issues simultaneously, we’ll only limp along,” he said. Pillai’s handicap of not being fluent in Hindi is also said to be an advantage for the more multi-lingual Yechury.

Yechury, however, reacted cautiously to who the next general secretary of the party will be. “There won’t be anything dramatic. We will adhere to inner party democracy…,” he said, adding “traditionally it is the outgoing general secretary who proposes the name of his successor”. The party will elect a new Central Committee, politburo and general secretary.

The party also discussed its Draft Political Resolution on Friday, accepting 71 of the 2552 amendments received. The resolution’s main thrust is on countering the “right-wing offensive ushered in by the Modi government and the BJP” as well as “intensified resistance to the aggressive pursuit of neo-liberal policies by the Modi government”. Yechury took a dig at PM Narendra Modi’s frequent travels abroad. “Mr Modi is making up for not being permitted to travel abroad to some countries all these years…,” he said.