New Delhi: The CPI (M) in West Bengal is on a drive to remove nearly 30% of inactive party card holders at a time it's suffering a big erosion in its rank and file.
This was after the party internally assessed that a number of card holders were keeping themselves away from party activities after Mamata Banerjee led-TMC came to power in Bengal and because of BJP's massive gain in Lok Sabha elections.
Sources said the decision to weed out inactive card holders was taken in October at a party meet in Kolkata following which there was an "extra scrutiny" in January. "The process of removing these party cadre is almost done and the entire process will end on March 31," CPI (M) lawmaker Sujan Chakraborty told News18 over the phone.
"We have asked all party leaders and district committee members to be extra vigilant and careful while renewing membership of cadre. The scrutiny will be based on their performances, attendance in party activities, meetings, subscription of party booklet and whether they were engaged in anti-party activities or not. We want serious dedicated members," Chakraborty said.
"Removing non-serious card holders does not mean that our strength will be reduced in terms of numbers. We are giving memberships to new leaders, young people who want to join us. Ultimately our strength will be more or less even. The exact membership figure after removing non-serious leaders will be reflected soon," he said.
CPI (M) politburo member Md. Salim said, "All I can say that we have identified the challenges in Bengal. District-level political classes and new membership drives are underway to strengthen the party."
Expelled CPI (M) leader Abdur Rezzak Mollah, who joined Trinamool Congress in 2016, said, "There is nothing left in CPI (M) party. The party is finished and they will not be able to gain ground in Bengal. Instead of removing card holders, the party should immediately sack or remove senior party leaders who are doing nothing for the party. The senior leaders have now become defunct. They are the main problem in the party."
"The head should be removed first and not the tail, "Mollah, who was expelled from CPI (M) on February 24, 2014, said. Mollah is the minister for Food Processing Industry and Horticulture in West Bengal.
Sources said most of the complaints about such card holders came from South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Birbhum, Hooghly, North 24-Parganas.
BJP leaders in Bengal rubbished CPI (M)'s claim that the party will have more members after the process is over.
Comments
0 comment