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Journalism of Courage
In view of the increasing disconnect between its party workers and masses,as was evident from the electoral reverses suffered in recent times,the CPM is asking its cadres to return to the partys ideological moorings and avoid alien trends and habits.
The growing disconnect was a major point of discussion at the two-day Politburo meeting which ended here on Sunday,with the party deciding to update its 1996 rectification document based on the responses from various state units. The rectification document provides a series of dos and donts for the party workers,including instructions on how to lead a simple life and avoid ostentation.
The Politburo had a discussion on the content of the document for the rectification campaign. On the basis of this discussion,a draft will be prepared before the next Central Committee meeting, the party said in a statement after the meeting. But a draft was not finalised as senior members like Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Pinarayi Vijayan were not present. The Politburo will meet on October 11 to decide on the draft,which will be put before the Central Committee,scheduled to meet from October 23 to 25.
The feeling among senior leaders is that a majority of party workers in West Bengal,who were aged between 20-40 years,have only seen the party in power and never had to struggle.
As a result,the ideological purity was lacking in them and there was a need to re-orient the workers about the party ideology. It was among these cadres that alien trends and habits had taken root. They feel it is important to stress that the cadres followed a lifestyle that suits a comrade,so that they could win back the faith and confidence of the people.
The situation in the Kerala units after V S Achuthanandans removal from the Politburo,the land acquisition row and Lalgarh operations in Bengal were also discussed at the meeting. The strategy for the Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra was also discussed the party will go it alone in Haryana and be party of multi-party front in the latter.
