Left, regional parties' front to form next govt: CPI

Claiming that anti-Congress and anti-BJP mood is prevailing in the country, CPI today said an alternative front of Left and regional parties would form the next government at the Centre.

"Left and regional parties will form a programme-based alternative front before or after the elections to serve the people of the country," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy told reporters here.

Reddy, who was here along with former General Secretary A B Bardhan to take part in the state executive committee meeting of the party, said the party would contest 60-70 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

"The party has started identifying seats and candidates for fighting the parliamentary elections in states like Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura and Rajasthan where it has a larger base," he said.

"In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh we are keeping a watch over political developments and will take a decision on alliance at right time," the CPI general secretary said.

Bardhan claimed that Congress would not get more than 110 seats, while BJP despite "hue and cry" in the name of Narendra Modi would in no case cross 140-145 mark.

"In this scenario, the Left and regional parties, opposed to Congress and BJP, hold tremendous scope to form the next government," Bardhan said.

He, however, refused to identify these regional parties.

"Based on alternative policy and programme, the Left along with like-minded regional parties would form a new government after the general elections," he said.

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CPI blames Manmohan, Chidambram for economic crisis

New Delhi : Communist Party of India(CPI) on August 20,2013  squarely blamed the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for the present “ pathetic” economic situation in the country, calling for the nationwide people’s struggles to force the Congress-led UPA( 11)  government to abandon its neo-liberal policies.

“We are worried India has to pay dearer for the fault of keeping the UPA (11) in power. Bigger struggles of the people are expected in the coming months,” CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said here.

Sudhakar’s remarks came a day after the Indian rupee continued to plumb new depths recording its biggest single day fall in a decade on Monday. With rupees 63.30 to a dollar it touched its lowest ever, recording biggest single day fall in a decade.

 He said while the prices of food grains and other essential commodities are going up, the burgeoning unemployment and all prevailing corruption are other major worries. The credibility of the UPA (11) is at its lowest ebb.

“This will lead to more serious complications in the political arena.  A weak government can not solve the problems of the nation,” CPI general secretary said.

He said Manmohan Singh’s neo-liberal economic policies coupled with Chidambaram’s arrogance had created the present position.

Pro-corporate policies added fire to the fuel.

“A weaker government, which is unwilling to take strong measures to control prices, implement labour laws is causing much harm to the man-in- street and the nation. There is no other solution except fighting back these anti- people policies of the Congress-led UPA government.”

 Giving a historical overview of the present economic situation, the CPI general secretary said the fall of the rupee versus dollar is a” symptom” of crisis of Indian economy.

 In spite of tall claims of the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister they failed to stop the fall of the rupee. In 1947 Indian rupee was equal to the dollar. In late 1960’s it was 8 rupees a dollar. Under the leadership of Chidambram as the head of the Indian financial system, it had gone down to over 63 rupees to a dollar.

 Furthermore, he said, foreign exchange had now only 6-7 months reservoir. This is a pathetic situation. Chidambram is to be squarely blamed because instead of finding scientific alternatives he made India to believe that FDI’s would solve all the problems and they are coming in plenty.

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CPI Wants Judicial Probe into Ramban Killings; Demands AFSPA to go

New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (CPI) today demanded a judicial probe into the recent killings of four civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the “unprovoked action” was alienating large populace of the state from the mainstream.
The Left party also demanded immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the hilly state.
“It is necessary that a judicial enquiry be ordered and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act be withdrawn at the earliest,” CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said here.
He said it was very unfortunate that four people were killed and 15 injured in the firing. The firing was allegedly carried out by the BSF. The firing was unnecessary, he said, adding that the BSF camp had been closed in the area after the incident, but accountability had to be fixed for the deaths.

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CPI demands rollback of gas price hike---S Sudhakar Reddy

CPI today demaded withdrawal of recent decision to double the gas prices and asked the government to fix the rate in Indian rupees rather than in US dollars.

Maintaining that the Cabinet decision to hike gas prices from USD 4.2 to USD 8.4 per unit would increase the burden on the people, CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy claimed that the decision was taken "despite opposition from Left Parties, your allies and even your cabinet ministers."

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he alleged that the government's decision was taken "to satisfy RIL gas company which willfully reduced the gas production to 19 per cent in KG6 (basin). We urge upon you to reconsider and withdraw this decision."

Terming as "strange" government's argument that the move would boost investment in gas extraction, he said "the price increase will be a burden on people to pay Rs 16,000 crores for every additional dollar increase of gas price every year in fertilizes and power sectors alone."

Reddy also asked as to why the price of "gas produced in India by our companies with some foreign companies collaboration is being fixed in US dollars rather than in Indian rupees. This looks very illogical. The price from beginning is in dollars. It looks that there is a deep conspiracy behind this method adopted."

Noting that the rupee value was "fast shrinking" and had depreciated 13 per cent since May, he said this would not only raise petro product prices, but education and travel would cost more too and deficit financing would increase.

"The gas which is produced in India is becoming costly with every fall in the value of rupee. One corporate house Nawab enjoys the profits at the cost of 'aam aadmi'. This is unacceptable," he said in the letter.

"I urge upon you to reconsider the whole decision and instruct that the price of the gas produced in India should be fixed in Indian currency, to save the nation from further loot," Reddy said.

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