Red star rising

As the CPIM prepares for the party congress in Coimbatore this March, it8217;s not lost on anyone that it8217;s going to be one serious affair. So some in the party are all for a touch of glamour to brighten up the jamboree. But that8217;s easier said than done. The famed Ilayaraja, who has been on the party platform in the past, is no longer an easy catch. Kamal Haasan has participated in rallies to support causes dear to the Left, but those have been in states like Kerala, not Tamil Nadu. Hopefully, superstar Mammootty will not disappoint them, given his Left leanings. Party general secretary Prakash Karat, meanwhile, is being hailed by comrades elsewhere as a 8220;crusader against imperialism8221; and word seems to be travelling quickly. So much so that even before the invitations go out, 35 from China, Russia, Vietnam, the US, Cuba, Germany have already confirmed informally that they would be participating.