Kollam is awash in red as the CPM state conference begins, marking the first such event in the city in three decades. The conference, inaugurated with the hoisting of the CPM flag at Ashram Maidan by Minister K.N. Balagopal, is set to witness intense debates on a range of critical issues. From evaluating the performance of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government to addressing core party matters, the discussions are expected to dominate headlines in the coming weeks.
State Secretary MV Govindan will present the work report, which will be followed by deliberations on topics such as the New Kerala Development Plan, employment and welfare pension fraud, and the recent heavy defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Other contentious issues include the functioning of ministers’ offices, the toll on KIIFB roads, and controversies surrounding SFI, including ragging allegations and the death of Naveen Babu.
The leadership is treading carefully to prevent sectarianism from taking root within the party, especially after criticism of the administration surfaced in earlier branch and district-level meetings. The conference will also feature the inauguration of the delegation meeting by Politburo Coordinator Prakash Karat, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presenting the policy document on ‘Nava Kerala.’
With prominent leaders like LDF convener T.P. Ramakrishnan and several ministers in attendance, the conference is poised to shape the party’s future direction while addressing both internal and external challenges. As the red flags fly high, Kollam becomes the epicenter of Kerala’s political discourse.
