Madurai, a land deeply etched in history and long-standing struggles for social justice in the heart of South India, is once again gearing up to witness the vibrant hues of red with the upcoming Party Congress. Scheduled from April 2 to 6, the 24th CPI(M) Party Congress promises to be an experience that looks back at the roots of history.
It was this very Tamukkam Ground that hosted the 9th Party Congress in 1972. Now, more than four decades later, the same venue is being rechristened as “Sitaram Yechury Nagar,” resonating once again with revolutionary fervor.
Opening Today: A Confluence of History and Remembrance
At 6:30 PM on March 31, renowned journalist and patron of the reception committee N. Ram will inaugurate a historical exhibition at the P. Ramamurthy Memorial Hall. Veteran leader V. Parameswaran will open a book fair alongside. Flames from martyrs’ memorials will be brought together at the grounds to greet the morning sun.
April 2: A Symbolic Dawn
The party flag will be brought from the martyrs’ memorial at Venmani, led by U. Vasuki, and received by Control Commission Chairman A.K. Padmanabhan. At 8 AM, senior leader Biman Bose will hoist the flag.
At 10:30 AM, the session will be inaugurated by Polit Bureau Coordinator Prakash Karat at the Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Memorial Hall, with Manik Sarkar presiding. CPI General Secretary D. Raja and other front leaders and delegates will be present.
Delegates’ Meet and Cultural Gathering
At 5 PM, a grand cultural gathering will be held – a celebration where art and ideology converge. Over the following days, various seminars will be conducted, discussing topics ranging from labor issues to environmental crises.
Marching with the Red Flag
On April 6 at 3 PM, the “Red Volunteer Parade” will begin. On April 4, a public rally will be held at the N. Sankaraiah Memorial Ground. Artists from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana will narrate stories of survival through performances filled with the intensity of red.
Continuity and Living Witnesses of Ideology
Notably, leaders like S. Ramachandran Pillai, Pinarayi Vijayan, Biman Bose, and Manik Sarkar—who participated in the 9th Party Congress—are once again attending as delegates. History thus lives again, offering new inspiration to a new generation.
Red Returns in a New Cycle
Left politics in Madurai once again comes into the spotlight. With the Party Congress, an era returns—an amalgamation of thought, reflection, assembly, resistance, and art. Madurai, in essence, becomes a poetic reflection of history.
