THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI(M) will be stepping into another state conference without any ideological differences or factionalism in the leadership. As it is about to enter the Ernakulam conference on March 1, the party is as calm as in the last Thrissur conference. The CPM is no longer experiencing the severe factionalism that it used to witness from the Malappuram conference of 2005 to the Alappuzha conference of 2015. There is no conflict between the government and the party leadership. The fact that the fourteen district conferences were completed without any disputes or contests is an indication that the party and the government are moving in a monolithic manner.

At the same time, the party leadership is wary of disputes arising at the local level. Most of these disputes are the result of power struggles between activists.

On the one hand, there are the challenges that continuance of governance poses to party responsibilities. On the other hand, there are the problems of local branches becoming regional centres of power with the continuation of governance. The party state committee guidelines are in place to remind comrades that they should not interfere in day-to-day administrative affairs and that they need to be active in activities that are exemplary to the community. Yet elements up to local committees are still facing these challenges. Such issues will also be discussed at the state conference.

The political controversies faced by the LDF government have been discussed at all party conferences so far. The criticisms against the police force and criticism against Health Department have been hot topics of discussion. Palakkad and Alappuzha were the districts that had to face disputes over various issues, including factionalism. The organizational report to be presented at the state conference will highlight these two districts.