NEW DELHI: With Assembly elections to four States due early next year, the Communist Party of India has begun an exercise of ascertaining the views of State units on poll alignment and adjustments.

In the case of Punjab, there are indications that it is not eager to be seen in the company of the Congress. The CPI had contested the last State Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress. But over the past few years relations have turned sour, with the party carrying out agitations against the Amarinder Singh Government, especially over economic reforms, including in the power sector. The CPI was allotted 11 seats and won two.

"Our basic aim is to work to defeat the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine but we are also against the Congress," party national secretary D. Raja said, adding that talks within the party were at a preliminary stage.

Meeting in Imphal

Party general secretary A.B. Bardhan left for Imphal to take part in a meeting of the State unit. The meeting will discuss on Wednesday and Thursday the strategy for the coming Assembly polls. The CPI's approach to the Assembly elections in Punjab, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal will come up for discussion at its national executive here on September 18 and 19, among other issues.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of a recent meeting of the four Left parties, which decided to explore the possibility of contesting the Assembly elections on a joint platform.

Joins Jan Morcha

In Uttar Pradesh, the CPI has joined the Jan Morcha, floated by the former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, which is carrying out a political campaign against the SP-led coalition Government. On the other hand, the SP has political equations with the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

In the 2002 Assembly elections, the SP and the CPI (M) contested on the platform of the now defunct People's Front and the CPI went on its own.

Late last month, the CPI held a meeting of party units from Hindi-speaking areas to draw plans to strengthen and increase its presence in the region. Among the decisions included activating the party at all levels and identifying issues that could be taken up for campaign.

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