CPI(M) to go it alone in bypolls

Welcoming the Lok Satta Party's decision to work with the CPI(M), he said discussions were also being held with the CPI in this regard.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary B.V. Raghavulu has said the party has decided to contest from five Assembly constituencies in the forthcoming byelections in the State.

Mr. Raghavulu, who was in the city on Sunday to participate in a ‘sadassu' on power tariff hike, said that the party would contest alone in the bypolls.

Welcoming the Lok Satta Party's decision to work with the CPI(M), he said discussions were also being held with the CPI in this regard.

Terming the ‘Praja Patham', which started in the State on Sunday, as nothing but a ‘Praja Poratam', Mr. Raghavulu who is also the party Polit Bureau member questioned the government on how can the ruling party leaders go to people when they were facing severe hardship due to power tariff hike, drinking water scarcity, farmers' problems.

Mr. Raghavalu said the Congress party had launched the programme with a view to gaining advantage in the byelections, he said and called upon the people to grill the officials over the problems.

The Congress leaders were busy with internal dissidents, ACB cases on liquor syndicates, Y.S. Jagan's case and other issues and were not in a position to think about welfare of the people, he alleged.

Adding to the woes of the people are shortage in rainfall, power tariff hike, severe power cuts, and unrest over the political disturbances in the State, said Mr. Raghavulu.