The Communist Party of India (CPI) has asserted that supporting Pranab Mukherjee, a presidential candidate of UPA, was tantamount to supporting corruption.
Visalandhra Vignana Samithi organised diamond jubilee celebrations of Visalandhra, a Telugu daily, here on Thursday. On the occasion, CPI state secretary K. Narayana said that CPI and RSP have decided to abstain from voting slated for July 19. It is a fact that there was a difference of opinion among Left parties regarding presidential elections. But, the CPI cannot support the UPA candidate as the corruption ruled the roost during its rule.
The political equations both at Centre and in State would change with the presidential elections. Notwithstanding, there would not be any midterm poll in the State. Neither the YSR CP was interested in the midterm poll as it was an offshoot of Congress party. The political situation would continue to be same till general elections in 2014, he felt.
The CPI and CPI(M) would meet on Friday to chalk out action plan to agitate against the liquor policy announced by the State Government. The lottery system would no way bring down the corruption. The liquor syndicates and corruption were here to stay with the lopsided policies of the government.
The Left parties would launch massive agitation from June 26 onwards.
Referring to Fuel Surcharge Adjustment (FSA) propsoals, Narayana said that the people were already burdened with steep hike in power tariff. The FSA was a double whammy. The CPI would intensify the agitation against the power tariff hike and FSA, he added. On Visalandhra, he said that the Telugu daily witnessed many ups and downs. The MLC Jalli Wilson, CPI district secretary Akkineni Vanaja, city secretary Donepudi Sankar, Samithi editorial board chairman Edpuganit Nageswara Rao, governing body member Chalasani Ajay Kumar and others spoke.