Under fire CPI-M holds classes for student cadres

With its current political-tactical line under attack from the West Bengal lobby of the party, the Prakash Karat camp of the Communist Party of India - Marxist has unleashed a favoured counter-offensive: party classes for the cadres.

After a gap of almost three years, a special class called 'Central Party School for student cadres' started at the A K Gopalan Bhawan central headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday. The five-day school will 'educate' 120 selected cadres from the Student's Federation of India), the party's student's wing, over various issues, including the current political-tactical line.

As Karat believes in leading any counter-offensive from the front, he will act as the master in these classes. Two more top ideologues -- politburo member Sitaram Yechury and Central Committee element Nilotpal Basu -- will also conduct classes. Karat and Basu will hold two classes, while Yechury will conduct one class..

Basu, however, refused to see any coincidence between the timing of the classes and the attack on the political-tactical line. "This is nothing but the media's distorted view. We have been holding these classes regularly on various issues. These classes are an integral part of our party programmes," he said.

The SFI cadres have been selected from all over the country but most come from West Bengal and Kerala -- the two states where the CPI - M suffered heavy electoral losses during the 2009 Lok Sabha election and now faces assembly elections next year.