VIJAYAWADA: The delegates' meeting of CPI's 24th Party Congress began on Saturday at SS Convention Hall (Gurudas Das Gupta Nagar) in Vijayawada with a trumpet call to strengthen the unity of Left parties. For the first time, apart from the party flag, the national flag was hoisted to mark the beginning of the delegates' meeting.

Veteran communist leader and freedom fighter Etukuri Krishnamurthy hoisted the national flag. After this, the delegates sang the national anthem for the first time in the history of the party. Then former General Secretary and senior leader S. Sudhakar Reddy hoisted the party flag. The revolutionary song was also played.

Inaugurating the delegates' meeting, General Secretary D Raja said that the Left has a historic task to perform in protecting the fundamental rights of the people.

"Left parties must move together to strengthen Left unity in this extraordinary political situation. The CPI stands for the realization of Left unity and thereby the unity of all secular, democratic and patriotic forces," Raja said. Raja also called for principled unification of communist parties.

Addressing the gathering, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury called for strengthening the Left but remained silent on the CPI's idea of ​​communist unification.

"Left parties must stand together to isolate Hindutva and extreme right-wing forces that are destroying the country. Left, secular and democratic unity should be strengthened," Yechury said. Highlighting the alternative model of the Left government in Kerala, Yechury accused the RSS-BJP administration of trying to destabilize the Kerala government.

CPIML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said that the fascist regime should be isolated and defeated by mobilizing different opposition parties through concerted mass struggles. Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan said that along with the call for unity, there should be an organized effort to make it a reality. For that, the unity of class and mass organizations should be strengthened first, he said.

CPI National Secretariat member K Narayana presided over the function. Rajya Sabha member P Santhosh has also been included as Kerala representative in the praesidium committee of the conference.

Members of the National Secretariat, Executive Committee and friendly representatives from sixteen foreign countries were present on the stage for the inaugural session. A draft political resolution, political analysis report and draft organizational report were presented when the four-day delegates' meeting resumed after lunch. New National Council, Executive and General Secretary elections will be held on October 18.