Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051221750500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

CPI (M) celebrates victory

Special Correspondent

Party activists take out procession in city

CELEBRATION TIME: Cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) celebrating the party's victory in Kerala and West Bengal in the city on Thursday. — Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD : Jubilant CPI (M) workers took out a procession from RTC crossroads to Bagh Lingampally following the party's victory in West Bengal and Kerala Assembly elections on Thursday.

Scores of supporters gathered at the party headquarters as the results were beamed by TV channels and they instantly expressed their happiness by distributing sweets and smearing colours on one another. Dancing to drumbeat and bursting of crackers, they went in procession to Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram. The procession, led by State Secretariat members -- Y. Venkateswara Rao, Sarampalli Malla Reddy and S. Veeraiah - led to traffic snarls on the busy road.

Earlier, CPI (M) leader B.V. Raghavulu told media persons that the results were a reminder to Congress-led coalitions to work within the framework of the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). They should also try to meet the aspirations of the common public.

He said the results of West Bengal polls, in particular, exposed the misconceptions against the CPI (M).

The party emerged victorious with a bigger margin than before though the elections in the State were conducted with a huge presence of para-military forces and stretched over five phases owing to doubts about free and fair polling.

Strategy in Kerala

The CPI (M)'s principled stand to go alone in Kerala paid off well. It was decided to contest independently in spite of a forewarning that the party would have to pay dearly for not tying up with K. Karunakaran's faction.

The voters gave a mandate for moral politics in Kerala. They did not forget the autocratic and anti-people policies of Jayalalithaa Government in Tamil Nadu and the `corrupt' and `inefficient' administration in Asom.

In a statement, CPI State secretary K. Narayana said the importance of Left parties was enhanced by the results.

The people gave moral strength to the parties to influence the policies of UPA Government.

They sent a clear warning to the Government to implement the CMP effectively.