The new general secretary of the CPI(M), Sitaram Yechury, outlined the need to "strengthen the party's capacity to intervene" as a key challenge after he was elected to the top job following days of speculation and a rare, nail-biting finish.
As the six-day party congress ended on Sunday, sources said that a consensus emerged on Yechury after the other frontrunner, S Ramachandran Pillai, withdrew from the race. Yechury, 62, is the fifth general secretary of the CPI(M), taking over from Prakash Karat who served three terms as the party head.
READ: Sitaram Yechury's journey: From an activist to CPI(M) General Secretary
The party has never held an election for the post of general secretary, who has always been picked through consensus. This time, uncertainty lingered over the position till the very end of the 21st party congress with both Yechury and Pillai refusing to rule themselves out overtly — the party constitution provides for a secret ballot in case of voting.
READ: Vasan greets Yechury on being elected CPI(M) General Secretary
According to sources, what turned the tide in Yechury's favour was the pressure exerted on Sunday morning by a majority of delegates on members of the party's Central Committee (CC) from their respective states, after they realised that the politburo was tilted towards Pillai.
READ: Sitaram Yechury vs Ramachandran Pillai in race for CPM top job
In the morning session, Karat informed the outgoing CC that the politburo on Saturday night had considered the names of Yechury and Pillai and that a headcount favoured the latter. But then, some CC members from West Bengal are learnt to have insisted on a vote if needed, following which Karat advised Pillai to withdraw.
READ: CPM shoots down move to make party 'younger'
Party leaders pointed out that Yechury also enjoyed the advantage of age over Pillai, who is 15 years senior. Unlike Yechury, Pillai was not fluent in Hindi either, they added.
Speaking after the announcement, Karat said Yechury was elected "unanimously" by the new central committee after he, as outgoing general secretary, proposed Yechury's name.
Soon after being declared the new party chief, Yechury said it was a "big responsibility" and that he would try to "correct the weaknesses" that had crept into the party.
"This congress has come at a challenging time. If I had to characterise the 21st …continued »
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