KOCHI: The change of guard at CPM in the district may see the party involve itself in issues that directly affect the public. C M Dinesh Mani, the newly-elected district secretary of CPM, has made it clear he would give priority to civic issues and the party would plan campaigns and mass agitations to address concerns of citizens.

His experience as a former mayor of Kochi and an MLA from Palluruthy is expected to come in handy to take up issues related to the public. "Party leaders like P Rajeeve MP and former district secretary M V Govindan had raised many public issues and rallied the people behind the party in addressing such issues. We will continue our efforts to solve problems related to public transport and drinking water," Mani said.

"The public should be vigilant over proper implementation of Kochi Metro rail, flyovers and various drinking water projects in the city. The party has already successfully taken up these issues. The active involvement of the party in issues directly affecting the public would continue," he said.

He said factionalism was a thing of the past and there was no trace of sectarianism within the party now. "The state and central leadership have helped the party in solving factionalism within the party in the district. There is nothing that can be termed as factionalism in the party," he asserted. In the last organizational elections, the party had decided the course of action for the next three years. "We have the responsibility of implementing that decision," he said.