CPI-M defers Alappuzha party meeting as Covid cases surge

R. Nazar, Alappuzha district secretary of the CPI-M told the media that the decision has been taken after speaking to all concerned.

"There has been an increase in Covid cases and at a time when the entire attention should be focussed on those suffering, we felt it was improper to hold the meeting as planned earlier. A decision on the revised date will be taken after the situation improves," said Nazar.

The party state conference which is held once in three years to elect a new set of party state leadership is based on the 14 district committee meetings, when the districts hold the meeting and barring Alappuzha, all the other 13 districts have concluded their meetings.

The party state conference is to be held next month at Ernakulam and the party Congress in April at Kannur, when the national leadership arrives.

Incidentally, the Congress and the BJP here have been up in arms against the CPI-M for going ahead with their party meetings as in the past 10 days, the state has witnessed a massive spike in daily Covid cases. In the past two days, there were over 40,000 cases in the past two days with the test positivity rate climbing to an all time high of over 43 per cent.

The party came under fire when its Thiruvananthapuram district committee organised a dance event ahead of the party meeting, where over 500 women took part when daily Covid cases were zooming. After the conclusion of the meeting, several of those who took part turned Covid positive.

And on Friday, the Kerala High Court acting on a petition against the Kasagod district party meeting, asked what's so special for political parties, when even the Republic Day celebrations has been asked to keep the numbers participating to just 50.

Hours after the court came down on the CPI-M, the three-day meeting which was to end on Sunday decided to finish it in a day.

--IANS sg/shb/

( 371 Words)

2022-01-22-15:42:03 (IANS)