BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 13th November 2025: The principal opposition CPIM will launch its annual membership scrutiny drive from January 2026, party sources confirmed today.
The annual exercise aims to assess the performance, participation, and commitment of party members throughout the year. Based on the findings, memberships are either renewed or temporarily withheld, depending on the review outcome, sources said.
“It is a standard organisational practice of the party. During scrutiny, each member’s year-long activities are evaluated, their participation in public meetings, attendance in internal sessions, and execution of assigned responsibilities. If all criteria are met, the membership is renewed; otherwise, a notice is served seeking clarification,” a senior CPIM leader explained.
Party insiders said the CPIM’s total membership strength has witnessed a sharp decline since losing power in 2018. “In 2017, the membership peaked at nearly 97,000. At present, the figure stands around 37,000,” a source revealed.
The CPIM follows a structured, multi-stage membership process. Individuals expressing interest are first considered by the branch committee and, upon approval, become auxiliary members. After a certain period, they may advance to casual membership, which allows attendance in meetings but not participation in discussions. Only after successfully completing this stage can they become permanent members.
“It generally takes about three years for an auxiliary member to attain permanent membership,” the source added.
