Kanhaiya Kumar elevated to CPI’s top decision-making body

With an eye on expansion in Hindi heartland, especially in Bihar, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has elevated former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar to the National Executive Council (NEC), the top decision-making body of the communist party on Sunday.

Necessitated by the death of Shameem Faizee, veteran journalist who edited CPI’s central organ New Age for decades, the vacancy had many contenders but NC finally zeroed in on Kumar’s name.

Outgoing CPI’s general secretary Sudhakar Reddy has announced Kumar’s elevation along with D Raja’s appointment as the CPI general secretary at Ajoy Bhawan in Delhi, following a three-day meeting of the NC.

Many see Kanhaiya’s elevation to the top decision-making body as an attempt by the oldest communist party to win over youths.

“Kanhaiya will indeed attract youths towards the communist ideology which is on the verge of losing political relevance,” said a communist party activist.

Kanhaiya could not be reached out for the comment, despite several attempts.

He contested recently held Lok Sabha election on CPI’s ticket from Begusarai seat against BJP’s Giriraj Singh, coming at second place in a triangular fight. Though Kanhaiya lost the election but he posed a tough challenge to the BJP heavyweight.

Apart from Kanhaiya, Manish Kunjam, a tribal leader from Chhattisgarh was also appointed as an invitee to the NC.

Along with D Raja’s election as the party general secretary and Kumar’s elevation, CPI passed 11 resolutions pertaining to various socio-political issues.

“No doubt the victory of NDA led by the BJP is a political challenge before us. But aggressive, muscular and chauvinistic cultural nationalism as advocated by the RSS needs to be countered. This is a stupendous task as any alternative narrative must embrace the concept of unity in diversity considering caste, language, religious and other difference amongst the people and also present an alternative economic development vision of inclusive and sustainable development,” reads one of the resolutions passed by the party.