CPI State secretary Pannian Ravindran on Saturday affirmed his party’s resolve to continue with its strong stance against corruption making it clear that the party would move ahead without heeding to anyone’s counsel in this regard.
Inaugurating the party’s district meet in the run up to the 22nd party congress, to be held at Puducherry in March, Mr. Ravindran said the real strength of the party was the respect and credibility the organisation had earned in the minds of the people.
Referring to the setback suffered by the Left in the last general elections, he said the Left would have to regain the confidence of the people and, in this regard, the CPI would have to bolster itself to strengthen the Left.
“It is not power but values that count,” he said and added that the party was engaged in a struggle to bring back values into the political process.
He alleged the controversial changes brought about in the abkari policy were aimed at diverting the attention of the people from the unprecedented price rise. Taking a dig at Finance Minister K.M. Mani, he said there were allegations against him not only on the bar licence issue but also on the sanctioning of quarries He also came down on the BJP government at the Centre, which, he said was trying to implement divisive policies in the name of Hindutva. This would lead the nation to the fascist fold, he said and criticised Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for his soft ‘hindutva’ stance with regard to the Ghar Vapsi being implemented by the Sangh parivar.
The two day session, cut short on account of the State meet from February 26 to March 2 here, is being attended by 350 delegates.
