Kollam: The Kerala state conference of the CPM began here on Thursday. The delegates’ meet, which started at the Town Hall (Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Nagar), will be inaugurated by Politburo coordinator Prakash Karat. Kerala Chief Minister and CPM Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan will present a policy document on the development of a ‘New Kerala,’ for discussion during the four-day conference. A total of 530 people, including 486 delegates from various districts and 44 guests from outside the state, are attending the event.
Politburo members Brinda Karat, Subhashini Ali, B V Raghavulu, Ashok Dhawale, M A Baby, and A Vijayaraghavan are participating in the delegates’ conference on all days.
The reception committee chairman and state Finance Minister K N Balagopal hoisted the party flag at Asramam Maidan on Wednesday evening. The conference is being held ahead of CPM’s 24th party congress, scheduled from April 2 to 6 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Flag, torch, and flagpole processions from martyr memorials at Kayyur, Vayalar, and Sooranad converged at the public meeting venue at Asramam Maidan (Sitaram Yechury Nagar) before the flag-hoisting ceremony. This is the first time in 30 years that Kollam is hosting the party’s state conference. The last such event was held here in 1995.
