At its two-day Polit Bureau meeting here, the CPI(M) said the first three months of the UPA government were marked by the relentless rise in the prices of food and essential commodities. With half the country hit by drought owing to the deficient monsoon, the government had done little to address the situation besides liberalising imports of commodities such as sugar and announcing a diesel subsidy for farmers.
Observing that the drought would lead to a fall in agricultural production, thus aggravating the price situation, it reiterated that steps should be taken immediately to check this by including a ban on all future trade in essential commodities.
The Polit Bureau condemned the ongoing attacks on the party and its cadre in West Bengal. The spree of killings by the Trinamool and the Maoists have not stopped after the Lok Sabha elections. After hearing a report on the steps being taken to meet this challenge, the Polit Bureau decided to step up the all-India campaign against the attacks to express solidarity with its cadre .
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Turning to party issues, the Polit Bureau discussed the document for the rectification campaign and decided to prepare a draft which would be placed before the next Central Committee meeting here from October 23 to 25.
The West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and Kerala party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan did not attend the meeting due to indisposition, the party said.