Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 5 (IANS): The district conferences of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Kerala unit, which is ruling the state since 2016, will commence from December 10 onwards.

The CPI-M of Kerala is firmly under the iron grip of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. Both these leaders are politburo members, which is the highest decision making body of the party. The two leaders hail from the party's red bastion, Kannur.

The CPI-M district conferences will decide on the new leadership for the party in the districts. However changes in district secretaries are unlikely except in Palakkad where the incumbent Rajendran has completed three terms, which is the maximum for a party district secretary.

The district conferences will not have much criticism against the leadership as the CPI-M in Kerala has transformed into a monolithic organisation. During the hey days of former Chief Minister, V.S. Achuthanandan, there was intrinsic ideological battle between his faction and that of Pinarayi Vijayan and the latter won the fight and is controlling the party ever since.

The party district conferences will commence from December 10 in Kannur and will end on January 28.

Political analyst, Roy Mathew told IANS, "The CPI-M has over the years turned into a political outfit without any internal criticism or brainstorming. Party in Kerala is now a pocket organ of Pinarayi Vijayan and his coterie is ruling the party."