THE 24th conference of the Andhra Pradesh unit of the CPI(M), the first after bifurcation of the united Andhra Pradesh state, was held on February 8-9, 2015 at Vijayawada. Vijayawada has a long and glorious history of communist movement and this is the seventh time that the state conference of the Party is being held here. Holding aloft this great tradition, Vijayawada wore a festive look with red flags, banners and slogans everywhere.
The state conference concluded after almost a month-long preparation, during which period, all the district conferences were conducted with much enthusiasm. The state conference was preceded by cultural programmes, reminding the people of the potential of peoples' arts in countering the reactionary influence of neo-liberalism and communalism. Many eminent artistes and writers have joined these cultural programmes. Of special significance is the participation of folk artistes who were very happy that the CPI(M) has once again brought these art forms into lime-light.
The venue of the conference was named after comrade Alluri Satyanarayana who is fondly remembered as Com AS, while the auditorium was named after Comrade T Chenchaiah. Both of them were popular mass leaders of the Party. Jakka Venkaiah, veteran leader and former member of the Central Committee, unfurled the Party flag amidst thunderous slogans from delegates who attended from all the thirteen districts of the state. Vaman Rao, a freedom fighter from the city was the chairman of the reception committee and he welcomed the delegates on behalf of the reception committee. The conference paid homage to martyrs after electing a presidium comprising of P Ramaiah, Ch Narasingarao, P Roja, P Jamalaiah, and G Obulu. Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M), inaugurated the conference. Launching a stinging criticism on Modi’s nine-month rule, he said that BJP is carrying forward the economic agenda of the UPA regime with more intensity and speed. At the same time, it is adopting authoritarian measures like promulgation of ordinances and anti-labour laws. The BJP is deliberately pushing forward its communal agenda so that peoples' attention is diverted from its real agenda of helping the billionaires to grow further at the cost of people. He dwelt on the central government’s submissive attitude towards the US regime. He staunchly criticised the BJP and the TDP for misleading the voters of AP with the promise of a special package and special budgetary support etc, for the newly bifurcated state. He stressed upon the need to build mass struggles in a big way so that the balance of forces shifts in favour of a pro-people alternative based on alternative policies.
A significant feature of the conference was the presence of six fraternal Left parties – CPI, RSP, FB, SUCI(C), CPI (ML) Liberation and MCPI (U) – who spoke on the importance of the unity of Left as an important factor that enables building wider mass struggles.
T Veerabhadram, state secretary of Telangana state committee of the CPI(M) greeted the conference. He brought the attention of the delegates to the game-plan of the ruling parties in both AP and Telangana – the TRS and TDP – in trying to pit the people of one state against the other. “This is a ploy to cover up their real agenda”, he said and called upon the Party to uphold the unity of the Telugu people in both the states.
P Madhu, secretary of the AP state committee, presented the political-organisational report dealing with the period of three years since the 23rd conference at Khammam. The report analysed the political and economic situation prevailing in the state. It stated that the TDP government failed in addressing the basic issues like prices, unemployment, drought etc. 'Nor is the government in a position to fulfill its poll promises like loan waiver and welfare schemes. Instead, the government is talking day-in and day-out about the building of a 'world-class capital', 'Singapore model' and 'Japan model' of development'. On the other hand people are burdened with a hike in power-tariff and increased VAT. The report noted that there is a growing discontent among the people against this misrule, which will burst very soon. While recalling the various struggles conducted by the Party as well as mass organisations during this period, the report also took into notice the adverse political situation as a result of the bifurcation of the state. 'Though the Party suffered an electoral setback, the Party and the district units did try to focus on struggles of the people. 'However, the report self-critically admitted that 'a lot more needs to be done to increase the mass base of the Party'. The report called upon the units to reorient the organisation and to build greater, wider struggles by drawing in wider sections of the society. The report dwelt on the need to focus upon working class, tenant farmers and the cultural movement.
57 delegates took part in the deliberations, of them, 10 were women. The delegates broadly agreed with the content of the report and further strengthened it with their valuable contributions. This was acknowledged by the secretary, P Madhu, in his reply, after which the report was accepted.
As many as 38 resolutions were adopted in the conference, on issues such as comprehensive development of the state, the development of capital city, condemnation of attacks on working class struggles, right to self-determination of tribals, on waiver of farm loans and on a number of issues relating to the various sections of the toiling masses.
The conference then adopted the reports of the control commission and the credentials committee. 510 delegates attended the conference out of the total of 513 delegates elected and observers invited. It is significant to note that none of the women delegates as well as observers were absent from the total of 97, ensuring 100 percent participation. Credentials report noted that 130 delegates were below 40 years of age, 184 in the age group of 41-50 and 156 in the age group of 51-70. There are 14 delegates aged above 70 years. While the youngest was aged 24 years (Ramana from Nellore), Anne Anasuya and Atchutaramaiah were the oldest with 91 years of age. Only 4 delegates were illiterates. 160 delegates had secondary education. 307 delegates had higher education. 352 of the delegates are whole timers, while the rest of the delegates are predominantly from the basic classes of workers and agricultural workers. Class origin of the delegates also reflects a healthy trend with 457 delegates belonging to the basic classes. Social composition of the delegates shows that 191 belonged to backward classes, 80 were SCs, STs 28, and minorities 27, making it a total of 66 per cent of the delegates. While 11 delegates joined the undivided Party, those who joined before 1977 are 34, 204 joined during the pre-neoliberal period and the rest later.
The conference elected a 59-member state committee unanimously. P Madhu was re-elected as the secretary along with a 13-member secretariat. 23 delegates were elected to the ensuing 21st all-India conference – all unanimously. A three-member control commission with B Tulasirao as chairman was elected.
During the conference Sitaram Yechury released the collected works of Maxim Gorky published by Prajasakti Book House in Telugu. Collected works of CV, a well-known progressive writer were released by BV Raghavulu, Polit Bureau member.
V Srinivasarao, member of central secretariat presented the broad outlines of the draft review report and of the political-tactical line.
B V Raghavulu, in his concluding address to the conference, brought the attention of the delegates to the inability of the opposition party in the state which played only a minimal role. “We have the task of posing a challenge to the government from outside the legislature to keep up the hopes of the people alive”, he said. He called upon every comrade to address himself/herself to this task of igniting struggles of the masses, to act as catalysts in developing struggles. “We should try to reach out to all such forces, groups, organisations and individuals who are against neo-liberal regime and communalism and draw them into a broad united front of Left and democratic forces, showing a lot of flexibility in our approach. We should not seek short term gains or expect quick results, but should adopt a long-term plan and work towards the goal consistently”. Raghavulu stressed on the importance of increasing Party’s independent strength, on the need to focus on struggles of basic classes, especially, of the working class, which can play a crucial role in the present juncture. He stressed on the need to re-orient and develop our work on the cultural front. “Struggles against regional disparities and for development of backward regions and sections of masses form an important part of class struggle against neo-liberalism”, he stated.
The conference resolved to put in all efforts to make the 21st All India Party Congress being held at Visakhapatnam, a great success and a historic event.
The 24th state conference ended boosting the morale of the comrades amidst an enthusiastic note and thus was a success.
of N� Rnl��d �k , James Clapper, to Pyongyang in the first week of November. Clapper held talks with senior North Korean officials and succeeded in getting two Americans, sentenced to long prison terms, released. One of the Americans, Kenneth Bae, was arrested in 2012 on charges of propagating Christianity and the other, Mathew Miller had torn up his passport on arrival in Pyongyang in April, 2014, telling immigration officials that he was in the country to investigate the conditions of prisoners held in jails. President Barack Obama had described the release of the two prisoners as “a positive gesture” by the North Korean government.
But the North Korean government was expecting the resumption of serious talks with Washington. Both Washington and Pyongyang have not said what exactly was discussed by Clapper during his talks with senior North Korean officials including his counterpart, the North Korean minister for Internal Security but there clearly was no diplomatic breakthrough. Pyongyang has wanted direct talks with Washington for a long time now as the six party talks which includes countries like China and South Korea have been spluttering along inconclusively for years. The North wants an end to the draconian sanctions that have been imposed on it for the last fifty years. But now President Obama is threatening to put the country back into America’s list of “rogue states”. President George W Bush had removed from the list in 2008, after talks had started for the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
After the release of “The Interview” at the prompting of President Obama, the North may not be in a mood for talks for the time being at least. A statement from Pyongyang accused President Obama of being “reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest”.
