The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has chalked out plans to collect Praja Nidhi, a crowd fund, from February 1 onwards. The CPI(M) would conduct a door-to-door campaign on Praja Nidhi, which will be used for launching agitations on issues relating to the people, across the State from February 1 to 10.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the party State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao said that it was a daring move to collect funds from the public at a time when the political parties have geared up to distribute money in the elections. The CPI(M) has decided to pool the funds to conduct the public agitations. The party has been conducting many agitations and protests in the State, especially on Polavaram issue, electricity charges, high prices of essential commodities etc. The CPI(M) has been fighting for the cause of people in true spirit, he said, adding, that the party alone has the right to ask people for donation.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the principal opposition parties were collecting ₹25 crore to ₹35 crore from the candidate aspiring to contest in Assembly elections. Where from the candidates would get such huge amounts which run into hundreds of crores of rupees in the elections. It was reported that corporate companies are providing funds to them. Needless to say, the corporate companies would compel and exploit them to work for them, he said. The CPI(M) was the only party that does not take funds in the name of election bonds, and 85% of the bonds coming from companies like Adanis and Ambanis go to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he added.
CPI(M) State secretariat member Ch. Babu Rao also spoke.
