The AIADMK has initiated the process of shaping the framework of seat-sharing with its alliance partners for the coming Assembly elections in the State.
AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa has already contacted leaders of Left parties to devise an arrangement for the polls.
CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Monday confirmed that Ms. Jayalalithaa had got in touch with him. “She has contacted me and said that her party will be holding discussions with the State unit of the CPI (M),” Mr. Karat said. The State unit would take a decision accordingly.
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Ms. Jayalalithaa has also got in touch with CPI general secretary A. B. Bardhan.
Addressing reporters at the launch of a boxed set of Karl Marx's ‘Capital' at the 34th edition of Chennai Book Fair, Mr. Karat said the unholy nexus between the Trinamool Congress and the Maoists was the root cause of the political violence in parts of West Bengal. The State government had taken the help of Central forces in a situation where the main Opposition party was in nexus with the Maoists. In this context, the TMC's demand for withdrawal of forces exposed its motives.
The West Bengal government was taking all measures to check the violence. Mr. Karat demanded that the Congress clarify its position on the TMC-Maoist alliance that was fomenting the violence.
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Mr. Karat said that the CPI (M) politburo would meet in Kolkata on January 15 and 16 to discuss strategy for Assembly elections to five States.
Earlier, while speaking at the launch of the three-volume LeftWord publication, Mr. Karat noted that the books would serve to make the classic more accessible and help readers have a scientific understanding of the Marxian critique of capitalism.
Noting that copies of the classic treatise had been difficult to get since publications ceased to arrive from Moscow, Mr. Karat said the Indian publication would bridge the gap in availability, especially as the other volumes available were expensive.
Writer S. Ramakrishnan, who received the first copy, said Marx's work was one of the rare books that changed the world.
Mr. Karat also launched a Tamil version of Venkatesh Athreya's introductory reader to Marx's ‘Capital' with the translation undertaken by K. Lakshmanan.
CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan and Mr. Athreya were also present.