A crucial meeting of CPM's Politburo began here on Friday to review the Maoist siege of Lalgarh, post-poll violence in parts of West Bengal, organisational problems in Kerala and its worst-ever defeat at the hustings recently.

Top leaders of the party including Chief Ministers of CPM-ruled states are participating in the meetings of the Politburo and Central Committee that have been called to take stock of these issues.

The prime concern of party leaders would be to find ways and means to tackle the Maoist violence, which they alleged was being actively backed by Trinamool Congress in its bid to "destabilise" the Left Front government in West Bengal.

Politburo member M K Pandhe said, "It's an election review meeting."  

Asked whether the Lalgarh issue would also figure in the discussions, he said, "We have to discuss that part also."

On the party's electoral performance, state units of West Bengal and Kerala, where CPI(M)-led coalitions suffered their worst poll debacle since the party's inception in 1964, have accepted that the idea of Third Front championed by Left parties was rejected by the people and there have been serious violations of Communist principles by its followers which led to the rout.

The two decision-making bodies of the party, whose strength in the Lok Sabha declined to 16 from 42, are expected to recommend steps to rectify the drawbacks so as to enable it to confidently face assembly polls in the two states in 2011.