The Hindu : Kerala News : Differences are not forever: Yechury

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Thursday, Feb 24, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Differences are not forever: Yechury

By Our Staff Reporter

MALAPPURAM, FEB. 23. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury, today said that there are only issue-based differences in the party and that they are not forever.

At a press conference convened to sum up the four-day State conference of the CPI(M) that concluded here yesterday, he said there was no question of who won or lost; there is only one winner and that was the party.

Describing the conference as a significant development for the party, Mr. Yechury said that there were differences of opinion among delegates. ``The decisions of the party are collective. The party is supreme and no leader is above the party,'' he said.

Mr. Yechury denied that factionalism had taken the sheen off the party. In fact, he said, the appeal of the party to the masses had increased tremendously. ``This meeting is a result of that,'' he said.

He criticised the media for the unrealistic portrayal of the party affairs. On the one hand, he said, the media portrayed the party as Stalinist and on the other, it was projected as a party of the masses. The CPI(M) takes all its decisions democratically, he said. He denied the newspaper reports that the Central leadership had asked the State conference not to discuss ideological issues. ``Anyone can discuss ideological issues, but they need to be clinched only at the party's Central forum," he said.

Describing the response of the people from Malappuram district to the State party conference as tremendous, the CPI(M) leader said the Central leadership of the party was moved by the enthusiasm displayed by them.

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