New Delhi: Veteran CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat has been appointed as the interim coordinator of the party’s Polit Bureau and Central Committee until the 24th Party Congress, which is scheduled for April next year, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) announced on Sunday.

The decision comes in the wake of the passing of CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who died on September 12 at the age of 72.

"The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), now in session in New Delhi, has decided that Comrade Prakash Karat will be the coordinator of the Polit Bureau and the Central Committee, as an interim arrangement until the 24th Party Congress to be held in April 2025 at Madurai," the CPI(M) said in a statement.

Karat’s return, though temporary, underscores the party's effort to maintain continuity during this critical period.

His leadership is expected to guide the party through the upcoming Party Congress, a significant national conclave held every three years, and to navigate alliances ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

The Polit Bureau, the CPI(M)'s highest decision-making body, plays a pivotal role in shaping the party's strategy and policy.