The first Punjab State Conference of CPI(ML) was held in Mansa, Punjab on 30-31 January 2013. The Conference was preceded by a well attended mass meeting of agrarian workers, peasants, workers and people from other walks of life who came mainly from the Mansa district. This was addressed by Central Committee members Kavita Krishnan and Swapan Mukherjee, Party’s Punjab State Secretary Rajwinder Singh Rana, Gurmit Singh, AIALA leader Bhagwant Samaon, RYA leader Kanwaljeet Singh and some other state leaders. Comrade Ruldu Singh, President of All India Kisan Mahasabha presided over this meeting. Central Committee members Rajendra Pratholi and Sanjay Sharma also attended this rally.
A delegation of local traders and shopkeepers’ Association attended the rally to express their solidarity with our movement. Comrade Samuel John, the lead actor in a Punjabi film ‘Anhe Ghore Da Daan’, based on the life and struggles of dalits in Punjab which won many international and national awards, was felicitated by Com. Kavita Krishnan and other guests at the rally. Comrade Samuel stages two plays on this occasion.
The Conference Hall was named Comrade Hakim Singh Samao Hall and the stage was named after Comrade Jeeta Kaur. The delegates from many districts of Punjab including Mansa, Sangrur, Bhatinda, Barnala, Gurdaspur, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, participated in the Conference. Nearly 15 percent of the total delegates were women. The Conference elected a 5-member Presidium and 3-member Steering Committee to conduct its proceedings.
Rajwinder Rana placed the report before the delegates on behalf of the outgoing State Leading Team. Twenty six delegates, including a number of women delegates, spoke on the report. The major issues came in the discussions included functioning of Party structures, Party education, recruitment of new members and developing the new cadres especially from among women, students and youth, development of cultural organisation, to give a systematic shape to the work among migrant worker particularly in industrial cities and expansion of our struggles in rural belts of Punjab. After very lively discussions the report was passed unanimously with some incorporations and changes.
The Conference elected a 21-member State Committee with Comrade Rajwinder Rana as its Secretary. Com. Rajendra Pratholi, Central Observer, conducted the election process. The Conference was concluded with his encouraging speech.
The Conference passed resolution to transform 20-21 Feb. All India General Strike into the successful political strike in Punjab and for the success of Party 9th All India Congress to be held in Ranchi on 2-6 April 2013. The Conference adopted resolution paying tributes to the Martyrs including comrades Sankar Mitra and Gurusharan Singh. The Conference ended with the singing of the Communist Internationale.
