The course correction draft placed by the CPM state leadership before its extended state committee meeting has come under sharp fire within the party, with leaders slamming it for glossing over massive electoral setbacks and failing to offer a credible recovery plan.

The Kannur district committee was the first to flag the shortcomings when the discussion began on Sunday. The issue soon turned into a challenge to the state leadership, with leaders asking why the Secretariat’s lapses were omitted and whether the cadre and district leadership alone should bear responsibility for the setbacks.

As similar concerns had already surfaced during group discussions and the general discussion in some districts, the leadership is learned to be taking precautions to ensure the exercise does not turn into a move against it. A section of leaders believes this caution is also reflected in the decision to leave substantive self-criticism out of the document.

The leadership, meanwhile, has also asked participants to refrain from airing personal views during the discussions and confine themselves to issues raised in the group meetings. Affiliated organisations have similarly been asked to focus on the problems confronting their respective organisations. Against this backdrop, today’s general discussion assumes particular significance for the leadership.

Several leaders share that the document lacked a serious exercise in introspection, concrete proposals for a political comeback, and measures to regain public trust. Even the action plan listed under "future duties" largely comprises measures contained in earlier documents, most of which the party is already implementing.

Some of the observations in the Central Committee document that put the state leadership in the dock have found a place in the draft, though in a muted manner. However, major lapses, including those related to candidate selection in Kannur, have not been addressed with the seriousness they warrant.

Party mandates asset transparency by leaders
As part of its corrective measures regarding allegations of leaders amassing assets disproportionate to their income, all CPM state committee members must disclose their assets to the party before November; district committee members will follow.

The party has also decided to conduct stringent scrutiny of members’ assets as part of the annual membership renewal process. It will step up vigilance against irregularities in the cooperative sector as well. Leaders seeking loans will have to inform the party in advance and obtain the party’s permission.