CPI to hold congress in Puducherry

The meeting will discuss various issues that have cropped up after the BJP came to power at the Centre

The Communist Party of India (CPI) will conduct its 22 party congress here from March 25 to 29 next.

CPI National Council secretary D. Raja, Central Executive Committee member K. Narayana and Puducherry unit secretary R. Viswanathan attended the preparatory meeting at the party office here on Sunday and released a logo of the Congress.

Mr. Raja told journalists that the congress was coming to this city for the first time, and representatives of all the States would take part in the meeting. Committees were constituted for the successful conduct of the meeting.

He said various issues that cropped up after the BJP came to power at the Centre would be analysed. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was following the pro-rich policies of the Congress-led UPA regime.

Alleging that the Centre had failed to curb inflation and the rise in the prices of essential commodities, Mr. Raja said the government was concentrating only on pampering big capitalists, letting down the masses. He said the CPI would organise a nationwide movement against price rise on October 16.

He said the Centre had also failed to amend the Essential Commodities Act so as to prevent hoarding and forward trading. It was yet to retrieve non-performing assets of nationalised banks.

Terming foreign direct investment in the defence sector a dangerous step, Mr. Raja said his party would stoutly oppose the measure.

Mr. Raja called for a coordinated approach by the left parties towards the rise of right wing groups and the Sangh Parivar under the BJP regime.

AIADMK agitation

As for the agitations launched by AIADMK workers after general secretary Jayalalitha was jailed by a Bangalore special court, he said the party had to face the crisis legally rather than by creating a law and order problem.