Prelude to 25th Party Congress: Delegates' conference to begin today

ALAPPUZHA: The delegate conference of the CPI state conference, a prelude to the 25th party congress, will begin in Alappuzha today. General Secretary D Raja will inaugurate it at 10.30 am at Kanam Rajendran Nagar (Kalarcode SK Convention Centre).

The torch for the convention in the city left from Vayalar Rakhtashakshi Mandapam yesterday and reached Valiya Chudukadu Martyrs' Memorial. State Secretary Binoy Viswam will receive the torch at 10 am today. Then, KR Chandramohan will hoist the flag. 528 delegates, including 39 invitees, are participating in the convention to be held on the 10th, 11th and 12th.

The party leadership and workers in the district are eager to make the state conference being held in Alappuzha after 43 years a great success. The conference is of great importance at a time when many important issues are being discussed in the administrative and political arenas. The discussions in the state conference are also to be turbulent in the backdrop of harsh criticism against the government, the party and the ministers in the district conferences. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the seminar at 5 pm today. The topic is 'Future of Secularism and Federalism'.

There are indications that the report presented by the state secretary at the representative conference contains criticism of the party ministers. It is learnt that the report states that the ministers have not been sufficiently successful in presenting and implementing the schemes, and that their acceptance and appreciation have decreased. The indications are that harsh criticisms against the CPM have been avoided.