In a significant decision, the CPI (M) has constituted a commission to update its programme which sets the basic political strategy of the party.
The commission, set up as per a decision of the 15th party congress held in Chandigarh, will consist of party general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet, his predecessor, E M S Namboodiripad, West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, P Ramachandran, Anil Biswas and Sitaram Yechury.
The setting up of the commission assumes significance in light of a recent statement by Basu on a historical blunder committed by the party in not joining the United Front government.
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The party line so far was to join any government where it could effectively influence decisions and had a majority.
However, the situation was not so in case of the UF government, party sources said, adding that the programme had not been updated since it was finalised after the 1964 split in the CPI, which led to the formation of the CPI(M).
The CPI(M) has also launched a nationwide rectification campaign within its units to remove shortcomings and defects and to streamline party functioning.
The main thrust of this campaign was to root out corruption and those members against whom there were such charges, the sources said, adding party units had been asked to remove such members from any post in the ensuing organisational polls as a run-up to the 16th party congress to be held in Calcutta in February next year.