DYFI to weed out overaged leaders

KOCHI: Close on the heels of overaged members  at the helm of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the organisation is going strict with limiting the membership to persons below the age of 40. Though the preamble of the constitution of the DYFI says that the membership constitutes all young people between the age group of 15-40 years, comrades above 40 years of age still hold many top positions. Once the decision is implemented, a large chunk of leaders who still cling on to various positions may find their way out of the organisation. The DYFI has been forced to take such a decision after the organisation was caught in an embarrassing situation when its former treasurer V V Rameshan, who is over 40, was caught in a controversy related to his daughter’s admission in the Pariyaram Medical College.  At that time, the overage of DYFI members had become a hot topic for discussion among the youth leaders and other party members. ‘’Members who are above 40 will be excluded from the membership during the DYFI’s state convention next month, ‘’ DYFI state secretary T V Rajesh said. Moreover, those persons who are already past 35 and have no chance of completing a full term would not be chosen as office-bearers, he added. The unit, local, area and district-level committees have been directed to stick to the age limit of 40 during the membership drive, sources said. Almost all the local conventions have been completed and the district conventions are now being held. They said that directions had also been issued at the conventions that no  member who has reached the age of 35 should be made an office-bearer.  They feel that  more youths would be getting better representation in the organisation once the direction is strictly adhered to as per the DYFI constitution.