Date:22/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/22/stories/2007042209700500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

CPI(M) claims increase in mass base

Staff Reporter

Party attributes it to conduct of agitations for various public causes Party attributes it to conduct of agitations for public causes

ANANTAPUR: The extended general body meeting of the district unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) will be held here on Sunday to review the programmes taken up by the party since the last district Congress and to chalk-out future programmes. State secretariat member of the party and Kurnool legislator M.A. Gaffoor will represent the State unit.

District secretary G. Obulakonda Reddy claimed that the party had succeeded in expanding its mass base in the district by taking up frequent agitations for house sites, ration cards, welfare pensions among others. The party had also earned the faith of the people by taking up relay fast and 36-hour siege of offices.

Civic polls

As a result of the party programmes, it could win five councillor/corporator seats in three municipal councils/corporation for the first time, the party secretary said. The party had no representation in the civic bodies earlier, he noted. The party councillors in Guntakal and Dharmavaram municipalities had, in fact, become the deciding factors in the election of chairpersons there.

On the farmers' problems the party had taken up different agitations for horticulture, dairy and sericulture farmers and for those displaced by Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir and who did not get any compensation. The party had also played a key role in organising the farm workers for NREGS by taking up awareness campaign in villages. The party had also taken up several agitations for workers in the unorganised sector.

The padayatra taken up by the party from December 10, 2005 to February 10, 2006 had also helped expand its reach. The student and women wings had also spread to different areas.

Bicycle rally

The bicycle rally taken up by KVPS of the party also had a good impact on the issue of untouchability and caste discrimination