CPI-M State conference in Thrissur from Feb 22

Thrissur, Feb 21 : CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury will inaugurate the four-day state conference of the party in Thrissur on Thursday.

The Conference will be attended by party politburo members, 500 odd party delegates, observers and important party functionaries, including Cabinet Ministers .

Apart from Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, the other Politburo members attending the state conference are Mr Prakash Karat, Mr S Ramachandran Pillai, Mr M A Baby and Mr A K Padmanabhan.

Veteran party leader V S Achuthanandan will hoist the party flag at the Regional Theatre, the venue, ahead of the inaugural function.

The state conference is taking place amid the raging controversy over the brutual killing of youth Congress leader Shuhaib in Kannur two weeks ago. While the CPI(M) had initially distanced itself from the killing, the persons arrested by the police clearly indicated the involvement of party workers. The state wide protest campaign launched by the Congress against the gruesome killing will surely grab the attention of CPI (M) National leadership.

The embarrassment caused by the killing and the cheque fraud cases registered against state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan's son may cast a shadow over the conference.