CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar will have a busy schedule to campaign for Left parties contesting upcoming Lok Sabha elections across the country. The leader who heads the lone Left government in India is also expected to address a rally at Varanasi in support of party nominee against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
In elections for 16 Lok Sabha, Mr Sarkar remains key campaigner for party nominees in both the Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura. He is attending quite a few rallies each day to heighten campaign despite party's clear chance to win both seats.
"He (Manik Sarkar) will travel to different states to take part in campaigning for Left candidates. However he is not in a position to leave the state before completion of elections in our state", CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar said.
The election commission is holding poll in West and East constituencies on April 7 and 12 respectively in unprecedented poll calendar in Tripura. Formal campaigning ends on April 10 in east constituency, but Chief Minister cum Home Minister will remain in the state till April 12 to oversee poll process completed in a peaceful manner, party sources revealed.
They informed party units of different states like Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh which have shown interest in Manik Sarkar. His detailed campaign programme is being prepared in consultation with the party's central office at Delhi.
Mr Sarkar carries weight in political circles of the country for not only being Chief Minister of four successive terms and for heading the lone communist government in the country, but also for his style of functioning which saw spate of development activities and good governance in Tripura. He successfully presided over a sustained plan to quell decades' old insurgency and end ethnic strife.
In election rallies, he is talking about the alternative policies that would bring down 'corrupt' UPA government and prevent 'communal' BJP from coming to power. "Tripura is showing the hope of ray of alternative policies and have to take them forward to rest of country. It is a national responsibility", Manik Sarkar opined in one of election rallies on Saturday.
Party sources said Mr Sarkar would spend considerable time in West Bengal where the Left is facing a tough challenge from Trinamool Congress.
But his visit in other parts including Varanasi to speak in favour of CPI(M) nominee Hiralal Yadav challenging Narendra Modi will also assume significance.
