CPI-M politburo member M.K. Pandhe dead

CPI-M politburo member M.K. Pandhe dead

M. K. Pandhe

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M. K. Pandhe (Madhukar Kashinath Pandhe) (June 11, 1924 - August 20, 2011) was a Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) from 2002 ^[1] and is also the General Secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), one of the largest Trade Unions in India. He breathed his last, at Ram Manohar Lohya Hospital, New Delhi at the age of 86.

Early Life

Pandhe got Master Degree from Pune University and then got Phd in Politics and Economics. He was attracted to the left politics and became the Student Federation secretary of the Sonapur.

Communist and Trade Union Politics

When Communist Party was banned, he worked in underground during 1948-1951 period for nearly 27 months. He was elected as the secretary of Goa Liberation Forum. In 1958, he shifted his activity to the All India Trade Union Headquarters. When the Indian Communist Party split into CPI and CPI(M) he stood with CPI(M). Later in 1966, he was elected as Secretary of AITUC. It is notable here that, When the Communist Party was split, CPI(M) initially chose not to form a separate Trade Union.

During China war, M.K. Pandhe went undergound once again for 14 months from 1965 to 1966. He was elected as the secretary of CITU in the year 1990. He was elected to Polit Bureau of CPI(M) in its Party Congress held in Calcutta in the year 1998. He was elected as CITU President in 1999.

 Struggle Against Neo-Liberal Deviation

Dr. M.K.Pandhe was a genuine communist leader, who stood for Leftist Ideological Stands when the Neo-Liberalist group led by Budhadeb, Nirupam Sen and Thomas Isaac got upper-hand in CPI(M) leadership and tried to reform CPI(M)'s economic policies in the line of Chinese Communist Party. His was the rare saner voice in CPI(M) who time and again warned its leadership about the folly of bowing down to the pressure of Neo-Liberal Politics. Pandhe refused to accept the Development Model put forward by various Institutions echoing the voice of International Finance Capital interests, and repeatedly pointed out that, it would be a historic mistake to go against the interest of poor farmers in West Bengal and to work in connivance with Corporate interests. However, it is pointed out that, CPM's new middle class leadership, paying little heed to Pandhe's suggestions led the CPI(M) to ruins. Pandhe also was supportive of the ideological struggles led by VS Achuthanandan in Kerala's CPI(M). It was widely perceived that, as CPI(M) top leadership is embroiled in bitter power struggle as the Bengali Neo-Liberal groups want to replace Prakash Karat with Sitaram Yechury, there was a likelihood of Dr.Pandhe emerging as a consensus General Secretary Candidate, in the Party Congress scheduled in April 2012

Born on July 11, 1925 at Pune, Maharashtra

M.A (Pune University), Ph.D from Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune.

Joined the Communist Party in 1943

Secretary Solapur Students Union (1943)

Went Underground during 1948-51 for 27 months

Elected Secretary Solapur City Committee of CPI

Elected Secretary Goa Vimochan Samity, Sholapur Branch in 1955

Joined Central office of AITUC in 1958 and Elected Secretary in 1966

In-charge Parliamentary Party office from 1964 to 1969

Went underground for 14 months during 1965-66

Coopted into the underground CC after arrest of leadership

Elected Secretary CITU in 1970

Elected to the Central Committee in 1978 At the Jalandhar Congress

Elected CITU General Secretary in 1990

Elected to the Polit Bureau in 1998 at the Kolkata Congress

Elected President of CITU in 1999

Currently Member Polit Bureau, President CITU, President All India Coal Workers Federation, Co-President International Energy and Miners Organisation, Member Joint Committees in Steel, Coal, BHEL, BEL and Port and Docks, Member, National Shipping Board, Member, National Maritime Board.

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member and chief of its trade union arm CITU, M.K Pandhe died at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital here a little after midnight Friday following a cardiac arrest, party sources said. He was 86.

Pandhe was admitted to the hospital around 8 p.m. Friday after he complained of chest pain. His end came at 12.20 a.m. Saturday.

Born July 11, 1925 in Pune, Pandhe joined the undivided Communist Party in 1943 and rose through the ranks to become a secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), a trade union wing, in 1966.

He joined the CPI-M after the division of the Communist Party in 1965 and was elected secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) in 1970.

He was elected to the CPI-M central committee in 1978 and took over as CITU general secretary in 1990.

Pandhe, a PhD from Pune's Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, became a CPI-M politburo member in 1998. A year later he became the CITU president.

Saturday, August 20, 2011 1:31:38 AM by IANS

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member and chief of its trade union arm CITU, M.K Pandhe died at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital here a little after midnight Friday following a cardiac arrest, party sources said. He was 86.
Pandhe was admitted to the hospital around 8 p.m. Friday after he complained of chest pain. His end came at 12.20 a.m. Saturday.
Born July 11, 1925 in Pune, Pandhe joined the undivided Communist Party in 1943 and rose through the ranks to become a secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), a trade union wing, in 1966.
He joined the CPI-M after the division of the Communist Party in 1965 and was elected secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) in 1970.
He was elected to the CPI-M central committee in 1978 and took over as CITU general secretary in 1990.
Pandhe, a PhD from Pune’s Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, became a CPI-M politburo member in 1998. A year later he became the CITU president.

AILRSA express deep condolence on Com. MK Pandhe’s death. He very closely associate the Railway Trade union functioning, and given guidance for developing NREU in South Western Railway. He regularly write article about many subjects in the FIRE Magazine released by AILRSA.