All the major pre-independence political parties of Kerala such as Indian National Congress,[13] Communist Party of India,[14] and Muslim League started their functioning in Kerala at Malabar District as a part of the freedom struggle. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee was formed in 1921 at Ottapalam, on the bank of river Bharathappuzha.[13] In July 1937, a clandestine meeting of Congress Socialist Party, which was the political party formed by socialists of Congress, was held at Calicut.[15] The Communist Party of India in Kerala was formed on 31 December 1939 with the Pinarayi Conference, held near Thalassery.[14] It was the erstwhile leaders of Congress Socialist Party, such as E. M. S. Namboodiripad and A. K. Gopalan, who formed CPI in Kerala.[14] The Muslim League was also formed in the 1930s, on a meeting held at Thalassery.