VISAKHAPATNAM / AGARTALA, April 14 (TIWN): The Communist Party of India-Marxist began its conclave on Tuesday with a call by its outgoing General Secretary Prakash Karat to build and strengthen the party by overcoming the reverses suffered by it in recent years. Addressing the 21st Congress of the CPI-M, he also called for widening and strengthening the left unity to counter the right-wing offensive."At the present juncture it is absolutely vital to build and expand independent strength of CPI-M and the left. We have to overcome the reverses suffered by CPI-M and the left in recent period particularly in West Bengal," he said. "It is by forging strong left unity that we can rally all other democratic forces and go forward towards building left and democratic alternative," he said. However foxy Karat avoided mentioning failures of CPI-M in recent elections, rejections by voters in Kerala and West Bengal under his lame duck leadership. CPI-M's septuagenarian leaders were in holiday mood, no time to think about Party's future, neither passing the baton to younger generations. Some Tripura CPI-M leaders, Bengal comrades were seen going around for sight-seeing in Visakhapatnam and behaving like tourists on a vacation. Presence of younger generation was less than 5% in this conclave, it was mostly filled with old comrades in their ripe age of 60 to 80 yrs.

Karat said the conclave would send out a clear and categorical message to people that the only alternative to the neo-liberal, corrupt and communal order is left and democratic alternative.

He exuded confidence that the the 21st Congress would be a landmark in providing a new direction to the party.

Stating that the conclave is being held at a time when national political situation presents variety of challenges, he said for last nearly one year "we have witnessed the unfolding of right wing offensive in the country which spans the economic political social and cultural spheres".

"We have a political party BJP in power at the centre which is nothing but political extension of RSS. Thus the Modi government is a joint enterprise of BJP and RSS with the parent partner holding majority stakes in this joint venture," he said.

The CPI-M leader said that in short space of 10 months, the Modi government had taken most steps to transfer resources of the country to big corporate and foreign capital that no other previous government had done.

He alleged that the Modi government has opened way for Hindutva forces to advance their communal agenda. "What BJP and RSS are set to do is to demolish the secular democratic foundations of the Indian constitution."

On a lighter vein, CPI-M chosen the auditorium in Visakhapatnam which is named as  "SARADA"  - after Chit Fund Sarada Scams and CPI-M leaders closeness, SARADA tag is not leaving CPI-M party.