Thaindian News

Agartala, Jan 15 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has expelled over 570 leaders and cadres in Tripura as part of its rectification move while over 8,000 party members did not renew their membership during the past three years, party leaders said Sunday.

“In all, 572 party leaders and cadres, including former deputy speaker Jitendra Sarkar have been expelled from the party for anti-party activities and as part of the rectification attempts,” party’s Tripura committee secretary Bijon Dhar told reporters.

“Out of the 6,000 CPI-M branch committees across Tripura, 15 percent of the branch secretaries have been changed due to their non-performance and various other reasons,” he said.

“Over 8,000 CPI-M members did not renew their membership for numerous reasons, including reluctance to work for the party,” he added.

The Left leader was talking to the media persons ahead of the four-day long 20th state conference on Jan 29 before the 20th party Congress is held at Kerala’s Kozhikode April 4-9.

Dhar, a CPI-M central committee member, said that over 30,000 people have joined the Communist Party during the past three years and the new full-time party members have been increased by 16,000, taking the total to 78,000.

Of the total of 78,000 party members, 25 percent are women against the all India average of 13 percent women members.

The CPI-M led Left Front is also preparing itself through a series of organisational and governmental programmes for the next crucial and politically significant assembly elections, likely in February 2013.

“The formal poll campaign will be kicked-off with a mammoth public rally on Jan 29. CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat, politburo members Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat and West Bengal party leaders would address the public gathering and subsequent state conference,” Dhar said.