Chandigarh: Veteran leader D Raja will continue to serve as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), as the party has granted him a third term in the role. 

The announcement was officially made at CPI's 25th Congress held here on Thursday. While the CPI has enforced an age limit rule for all members of the party secretariat, Raja was given a special exemption, making him the only member allowed to continue beyond the age cap.

Raja, who made history in 2019 as the first Dalit leader to head a communist party in India, initially assumed leadership following the retirement of Sudhakar Reddy. He was subsequently re-elected during the CPI’s Party Congress held in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, in 2022.

The CPI's 25th Congress will continue till September 25 in Chandigarh.