Mazdoor Kisan Party - Internal Structure

Internal Structure

The MKP was organised according to the principle of democratic centralism. The leadership was collective and political instead of individual and personal. The supreme body was the all-party Congress which was held every four years. It determined the party line and program of action and also elected the central council, which functioned as the highest authority of the party in between congresses. The central council elected the members of the Central Working Committee and the office-bearers of the party.

Below the central council were the provincial branches of the party, which held their own Congresses and elected their own councils. The branches were in turn divided into districts and further into basic organisational units in towns and villages. In parts of the NWFP where the rural membership was very large, several committees got together to form a “Markaz” which carried out a coordinating role.

The members at each level were free to state their opinions on all issues, debate and criticise policies and conduct of leaders at all levels. Still, in the face of this criticism and self-criticism, it was a requirement that members maintained discipline and abided by the decisions of the majority. Also, the election at all levels of higher bodies by the relevant membership meant that although there was a flow of authority from top to bottom, the lower bodies had a great deal of autonomy.