CPM meet to discuss electoral debacle

Issues such as change in leadership, term of  party general secretary and the need for re-focus on policies will also come up for  brainstorming discussion in the meeting to be held in Hyderabad from June 10.

Though the party leaders are putting up a brave face after the rout in West Bengal, a large section of the leaders believe that only a new leadership can rebuild the party. The issue may crystallise at the meet, as a precursor to the campaign to shape up  the party congress by year-end. For the first time, a proposal to set a ceiling of two terms for party general secretary post will be taken up at the meeting.

The party politburo in May had deliberately sidelined a discussion on the election debacle on the grounds that the most important issue before the party was the post-poll violence in West Bengal and the churning in Kerala. Sources say the process of leadership change will commence once the review of poll results is over.

The campaigners for change say that the current leadership cannot instill confidence in party workers, nor can it mobilise people against the new government.