CPIM receives jolt in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 28: With the recent secretarial report making it clear that the CPI-M has lost its support base among those living on the banks of the Mahananda in the town, the party leaders are a worried lot here.Mr Indrajit Motra, secretary of the CPI-M's English Bazaar Town Committee, said the party has lost contacts with embankment dwellers. He, however, claimed that the vote bank of the party has increased among the middle and upper middle class people. The secretarial report has also mentioned that the party's youth wing, DYFI, has failed to woo the youths despite the government's initiative for employment generation through industrialisation. As a result, there is a sharp decline in number of members over the past few years and total number of DYFI activists in English Bazaar has reduced from 12,010 in 2005 to 11,074 this year. Similarly, the women's wing of the party has also not shown any healthy sign, with the number of its membership declining from 7,200 in 2006 to 6,000 this year. On the other hand, primary teachers are not showing enthusiasm to come under the CPI-M backed union, All Bengal Primary Teachers' Association. It may be recalled that the CPI-M had got less votes in English Bazaar in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. In a bid to boost party workers and increase party activities, the English Bazaar local committee of the CPI-M has been divided into three parts. Mr Indrajit Mitra has retained the secretary's post.