CITU 16th Kerala State Conference, Kottayam

Reach those not yet reached, and fight

Dear friends,

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) carries a proud history of lighting up the paths of struggle of the Indian working class with a clear sense of direction. Carrying forward the national freedom struggle and holding aloft the banner of the Indian working class, the struggles CITU has led against capitalist exploitation have stirred crores of workers. CITU has risen as the centre of resistance against the corporate forces that intensify exploitation and plunder through crony capitalism. CITU has been the driving force and the backbone of every national strike held in the country.

CITU is rousing the strength of struggle against the labour codes imposed to serve the political interests of the corporate–Hindutva combine. Amid the devastation of the imperialist war in West Asia, CITU stepped in at the right time to support the hunger strike of workers from North India. The state conference will shape the struggles against the UDF government, which is undermining the livelihood security that Kerala's working class won through its struggles and through the measures of Left governments, and the continuing work to resist every form of communalism.

The CITU state conference was first held in Kottayam in 1979. After 47 years, the leaders of working-class struggle gather in Kottayam once again. We warmly invite everyone's help and cooperation for the success of the 16th State Conference and its related programmes, hosted from 6 to 9 November 2026 by Kottayam, the city of letters.

With greetings,
For the State Committee: T.P. Ramakrishnan (President), Elamaram Kareem (General Secretary)
For the Reception Committee: T.R. Reghunathan (Chairman), Adv. K. Anilkumar (General Secretary), Adv. Reji Zachariah (Treasurer)
Kottayam, 15 October 2026

Highlights

• Delegates' conference

• Seminar

• People's gatherings

• Film festival

• Sports meet

• Photo and history exhibition

• Book fair

• Cultural programmes

• A grand rally of one lakh people

• Public meeting

Download the programme (PDF)

Programme

17 October to 1 November

• Sports competitions at area level

24 October

BTR Mandiram, Kottayam

• 4:00 PM · Cultural gathering
  Inauguration: Sunil P. Ilayidom
  Presiding: K.N. Gopinath
  Welcome: B. Sasikumar
  Speakers: Gayathri Varsha, P.R. Harilal, Adv. Sheeja Anil, R. Prasannan, Seema S. Nair
  Vote of thanks: C.T. Rajesh

25 October to 1 November

• People's gatherings at area level

3 November

Produce jathas

• Jatha 1
  Inauguration: Adv. P.K. Harikumar
  Captain: V.K. Suresh
  Manager: K.B. Rema

• Jatha 2
  Inauguration: Krishnakumari Rajasekharan
  Captain: K. Rajesh
  Manager: Sreerekha S. Nair

4 November

Produce jathas

• Jatha 3
  Inauguration: P.V. Sunil
  Captain: Lalichan George
  Manager: D. Sethulakshmi

• Jatha 4
  Inauguration: K.M. Radhakrishnan
  Captain: K.N. Venugopal
  Manager: T.S. Renju

5 November

M.M. Lawrence Nagar (Thirunakkara Maidanam)

• 10:00 AM · Exhibition
  Inauguration: Elamaram Kareem
  Presiding: Adv. P.K. Harikumar
  Welcome: K.J. Anilkumar
  Vote of thanks: K.V. Bindu

K.M. Sudhakaran Nagar (Thirunakkara Maidanam)

• 11:00 AM · Book festival
  Inauguration: T.P. Ramakrishnan
  Presiding: K.S. Ranjith, Chintha Publishers
  Welcome: M.K. Prabhakaran
  Vote of thanks: Sunil Thomas

Charlie Chaplin Nagar (Thirunakkara Maidanam)

• 4:00 PM · Film festival
  Inauguration: Adv. K. Suresh Kurup
  Presiding: Adv. P. Shanavas
  Welcome: B. Anandakuttan
  Vote of thanks: P.J. Varghese

A.V. Russel Nagar (Thirunakkara Maidanam)

• 4:30 PM · Thiruvathira

• 5:00 PM · Seminar
  Topic: Imperialism and socialism today
  Inauguration: M.V. Govindan Master
  Speakers: Binoy Viswam, Jose K. Mani MP, Elamaram Kareem, T.P. Ramakrishnan, V.N. Vasavan, K.J. Thomas
  Presiding: Vaikom Viswan
  Welcome: Adv. Reji Zachariah
  Vote of thanks: P.M. Raju

• 7:00 PM · Play: Aswamedham
  Presented by: KPAC

6 November

Flag, flagpole and pulley-and-rope jathas

• 2:00 PM · Flag jatha 1
  Starts from: A.V. Russel memorial
  Inauguration: Elamaram Kareem
  Captain: K.N. Gopinath
  Manager: K.C. Joseph

• 3:00 PM · Flag jatha 2
  Starts from: K.P. Sugunan memorial
  Inauguration: T.P. Ramakrishnan
  Captain: P.P. Chitharanjan
  Manager: K.R. Ajay

• 3:00 PM · Flagpole jatha 1
  Starts from: V.R. Bhaskaran memorial, Nedumkunnam
  Inauguration: K.K. Jayachandran
  Captain: K.S. Sunilkumar
  Manager: Adv. D. Baiju

• 2:30 PM · Flagpole jatha 2
  Starts from: K.M. Abraham memorial
  Inauguration: Vaikom Viswan
  Captain: Reji Zachariah
  Manager: K.N. Viswanathan

• 3:00 PM · Pulley-and-rope jatha 1
  Starts from: V.R. Ramankutty memorial
  Inauguration: K.J. Thomas
  Captain: C.K. Harikrishnan
  Vice captain: K.K. Harikuttan
  Manager: C.N. Sathyanesan

• 2:00 PM · Pulley-and-rope jatha 2
  Starts from: M.G. Ramachandran memorial
  Inauguration: T.R. Reghunathan
  Captain: K.P. Mary
  Manager: Joy George

Thirunakkara Maidanam

• 5:00 PM · Flag hoisting
  T.R. Reghunathan

• 5:30 PM · Honouring veteran leaders
  Inauguration: V.N. Vasavan
  Presiding: K.M. Radhakrishnan
  Welcome: K. Rajesh
  Vote of thanks: P.I. Bose

• 6:30 PM · Evening of songs: Aloshy sings

7 November

Anathalavattom Anandan Nagar (Mammen Mappillai Hall)

• 7:30 AM · Torch relay from the Neendoor martyrs' memorial
  Inauguration: V.N. Vasavan
  Captain: Adv. K. Anilkumar
  Manager: Adv. V. Jayaprakash

• 9:15 AM · The torch is placed at the conference venue

• 8:00 AM · Registration of delegates

• 9:30 AM · Flag hoisting
  T.P. Ramakrishnan

• Floral tribute at the martyrs' memorial

• 9:45 AM · Welcome song

• 10:00 AM · Delegates' conference
  Presiding: T.P. Ramakrishnan (State President)
  Welcome: T.R. Reghunathan
  Inauguration: Tapan Sen (National Vice President)
  Greetings: R. Chandrasekharan (INTUC), K.P. Rajendran (AITUC)
  Speakers: Sudip Dutta (National President), A.R. Sindhu (National Secretary), S. Kannan (Tamil Nadu State General Secretary), P.V. Aniyan (Delhi State General Secretary)
  Activity report: Elamaram Kareem

Thirunakkara Maidanam

• 3:00 PM · Open forum: Challenges women workers face at the workplace
  Inauguration: A.R. Sindhu (National Secretary)
  Presentation: Deepa K. Rajan (National Secretary)
  Presiding: K.B. Rema
  Welcome: D. Sethulakshmi
  Vote of thanks: T.S. Renju

• 5:00 PM · Kathakali (major set)

8 November

Anathalavattom Anandan Nagar (Mammen Mappillai Hall)

• Delegates' conference continues

Thirunakkara Maidanam

• 3:00 PM · Open forum: Challenges young workers and platform and IT workers face
  Inauguration: Meera Nimeesh
  Presentations: Deepak Pacha, Krishna Vinod
  Presiding: K.U. Vinod
  Welcome: Riyas Rahman
  Vote of thanks: Manikkutty P. Kuriakose

• 5:00 PM · Folk songs: Vanitha Sahithi's Manikkapennu

• 6:00 PM · Play: Misa
  Presented by: Chilanka Floating Theatre, Kozhikode

9 November

Anathalavattom Anandan Nagar (Mammen Mappillai Hall)

• Delegates' conference continues
  Vote of thanks: Adv. Reji Zachariah

• 4:00 PM · Rally

V.S. Achuthanandan Nagar (Nagampadam Maidanam)

• 3:00 PM · Song festival
  Led by the Souparnika Tansen team

• 5:00 PM · Public meeting
  Presiding: State President
  Welcome: Adv. K. Anilkumar
  Inauguration: Com. Pinarayi Vijayan
  Speakers: Elamaram Kareem, Sudip Dutta, Tapan Sen, T.P. Ramakrishnan, A.R. Sindhu, S. Kannan, P.V. Aniyan, V.N. Vasavan, Vaikom Viswan, K.J. Thomas, T.R. Reghunathan
  Vote of thanks: V.K. Suresh