CPI (M) leaders, led by outgoing general secretary Prakash Karat (centre), wave to the gathering at the party's 21st party Congress in Vishakapatnam. (Press Trust of India)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is all set for a leadership change. Before the six-day-long party congress ends in Visakhapatnam today, the CPI (M) would have chosen a new general secretary. Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai are considered frontrunners to take over the party leadership from Prakash Karat, who has been at the party's helm for three terms.
While Mr Yechury is considered to have the backing of leaders from West Bengal, which he represents in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Pillai is backed by the Kerala unit, led by its powerful chief Pinarayi Vijayan.
The party will also see 14 new members inducted into the Central Committee, its highest executive body.
Mr Yechury's supporters argue that at 62 - a full 15 years younger than Mr Pillai - he would hold appeal for sections beyond the party's traditional base, especially the youth. The other things in his favour include his high profile image in public and in the Rajya Sabha. Also, like his mentor, the stalwart Harkishan Singh Surjeet, Mr Yechury also shares a good rapport with parties from across the political spectrum.
Mr Pillai, 77, is being touted by his supporters as a leader fully in the know of all levels of the party organisation, having risen from being a district secretary to a member of the politburo. They claim he is a unifying leader and that he is the man most suited for the course correction that the party needs, after having lost appeal in both of its traditional strongholds in Kerala and West Bengal.
This is another major area of focus of the party at its 21st party congress in Visakhapatnam - to discuss the reasons for the decline and to chart the way forward. The party has also decided to launch popular struggles on local issues in a bid to retain its support base.