more-in With a view to retaining its support base in its traditional strongholds, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is likely to replace secretaries of numerous branches and local committees as well as a few area committees in the district as the party’s organisational conferences began early this week. The branch conferences of the party have already begun though the State committee had drawn up a schedule to conduct them from September 15 to October 15. The dates were advanced to prepare the party cadre to hold other programmes as well, party sources said. Three terms The party has decided to strictly adhere to an amendment made in the 20th party congress held in Kozhikode in April 2012, fixing the tenure of secretaries at all levels to three terms. There are over 2,800 branches, 175 local committees and 16 area committees in the district. The party will also have nine district secretariat members and 40 district committee members. CPI(M) sources said the district secretary, P. Mohanan, a close confidant of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is likely to continue in the post unless otherwise an influential group tries to pull the rug out from under him. In any case, the district conference to be held in Koyilandy on January 1, 2, and 3 will witness heated debates on the performance of the party. In the district conference held at Vadakara in 2015, Mr. Mohanan and M. Bhaskaran, both members of the district secretariat, were the frontrunners in the race for the post. But then the State leadership ensured that Mr. Mohanan occupied the post after T.P. Ramakrishnan, now Excise Minister, completed three terms as secretary. Electoral performance The electoral performance of the CPI(M) in the district has improved under the leadership of Mr. Mohanan. The district unit fared better in three-tier local body polls held in 2015, and Assembly polls in 2016. However, the vote-share of the party had declined in the past several elections. The Congress party won both the Lok Sabha seats in the district, Kozhikode and Vadakara, in the last two elections. Similar is the case with Wayanad Lok Sabha seat that has the lone Thiruvambady Assembly segment in the Kozhikode district.

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