THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Criticism at the CPI State Council meeting for setting the age limit in the party's national and state councils to 75 years.

The members said that it was not right for the National Council to impose a provision that was not in the party constitution and said that it was an impractical proposal. If an age limit is to be imposed, the party constitution must be amended. That is for the party congress to decide. Some asked how many people would be available if 50 per cent of the party unit suggested that they should be below 40 years of age. With the assembly elections in five states, the party's strength has waned. Instead of trying to re-build organizational strength, some questioned whether the national leadership should go after such impracticalities.

But Secretary Kanam Rajendran replied that the age limit was only a guideline put forward by the national leadership. He pointed out that it was a proposal to enhance the organizational capacity of the party and that the party congress would discuss the constitutional amendment.

The members also blamed the CPI, the second party in the front, for not getting the recognition it deserved. But Kanam rejected this statement.

Kanam Rajendran said that there were attempts by some media outlets to establish that the CPI was in opposition to the government over the K-Rail project. The UDF and the BJP are trying to subvert and isolate the LDF government's dream project. We must see the politics of conspiracy against the government. However, the members said that it was not right to leave the police to deal with the protests and that the concerns of the people should be addressed without further provocation.