The Hindu : National : CPI(M) meet begins today

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Friday, Dec 17, 2004

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National

CPI(M) meet begins today

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 17. The contours of the political line the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will adapt in the days to come will be drawn at a two-day meeting of its Polit Bureau beginning here on Friday.

This is the first step in preparation for the 18th party congress to be held here in April next. For the CPI(M), which is supporting the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government from outside, the basic thrust will be on containing the communal forces and at the same time extracting maximum relief for the poor from the Congress-led Government. The document prepared at this meeting will be taken to the Central Committee, scheduled to meet next month in Kolkata, before being released for discussion among the State units.

Soon after the Lok Sabha polls, the party's Central Committee outlined a five-point policy direction for the new Government that included detoxification of educational, cultural and research institutions; independent foreign policy; economic policies oriented towards providing relief to ordinary people; increased spending on the social sector; and addressing financial problems of the States. Most of these issues find a place in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP). In the past few months, the Left parties have objected to the manner in which the UPA Government was pushing ahead with economic issues without proper consultation with the supporting parties.

These parties have been insisting that the Government implement the agenda detailed in the CMP.

The Polit Bureau will also discuss the UPA offer that the party nominate a representative to a sub-committee being set up to study the demand for a separate Telangana.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, a constituent of the UPA, has been insisting that the issue be addressed without delay.

The Polit Bureau member, Sitaram Yechury, told The Hindu today that the CPI(M) had turned down the offer initially on the ground that it was opposed to the creation of smaller States.

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