Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010757911200.htm

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CPI(M) Central Committee to meet in Kerala

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Preparations for Lok Sabha election, including poll strategies, and the emerging economic situation in the country in the wake of the global crisis, will come up for discussion at a three-day meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that start on Thursday.

For the first time in four decades, a stand-alone meeting of the Central Committee is being held in Kochi, Kerala. Other than a Central Committee meeting ahead of the party congress, the last time this body met in Kerala was at Kozhikode (then Calicut) in 1967.

The committee members will hear about the proposed alliances in elections in Andhra Pradesh — both for the Lok Sabha and Assembly — with the Telugu Desam Party and in Tamil Nadu with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

In Andhra Pradesh the CPI(M) has not taken a stand vis-À-vis Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), a party that reached out to the Left for an understanding. The CPI(M) is not in favour of the TRS’s Telengana plank. However, it will not have a problem if the TRS arrives at an understanding with the TDP. Even in 2004, the TRS had a tie-up with the Congress, as did the Left parties.

CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said most of the State party units had identified seats to contest and the committee would hold discussions on the issue.

In the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks and the recent blasts in Assam, the party would draw up a campaign against terrorism and communalism.

On the international front, the party would take a look at India’s ties with Pakistan and the Israeli attacks in Gaza.

He said the meeting would also discuss the impact of the global economic crisis on India. The party did not agree with the steps taken by the Centre to tackle the economic crisis and felt that it was a case of not just inadequate response but incorrect too.

Mr. Karat said the apprehension of job loss was great and the party would discuss measures to launch a struggle to ensure that the people retained their means of livelihood. Even in the farm sector, the concern was of the falling prices of cash crops leading to further distress in the sector.