Other States - Rajasthan   

CPI(M) looking forward to a firm footing in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Rajasthan is looking forward to gaining from the farmers’ struggles the party had led in the State during the past four years. The CPI (M) would prove a rallying point for the non-BJP, non-Congress political forces in the coming Assembly elections in the State where politics so far had revolved round these two parties, it maintains.

The recent State convention of the CPI (M) at Srigangangar, the nerve centre of the agitation by farmers in the Phase I area of the Indira Gandhi Canal for irrigation water, noted with some satisfaction that the party could provide an active opposition to the BJP-led Government in the State when the main Opposition, the Congress, failed to perform.

“The CPI (M) could make an identity for itself by actively taking up people’s causes and leading struggles against an oppressive government. The popularity and recognition of the party have grown in the State,” says a report from CPI (M) State secretary Vasudev.

“There is widespread public resentment against the Government in the State but the Congress failed to lead a public agitation against its anti-people policies,” the report notes.

“The party is looking forward for an alternative, non-Congress, non-BJP alignment in the State. The target is the defeat of the BJP and improve the position of the left and secular forces in the State Assembly in the elections due next year,” said Prof. Vasudev briefing journalists on the convention which was addressed by CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat and senior leaders Hannan Mohla and Nilotpal Basu. The central leaders appreciated the pro-active policies of the Rajasthan unit and termed it as a “model” for the rest of North India.

“We will ensure the defeat of the BJP in the next election. The BJP Government is out to make Rajasthan a communal cauldron,” Prof. Vasudev said.

The CPI (M) State unit has been working on the theme, “Ek sei anek” (from one to many) to increase the number of party MLAs from the existing one to many, he said.

In the past four years as many as seven farmers fell victim to police bullets in Sriganganagar while a woman injured by police lathis died later. Thousands of farmers were put in jail during the agitation while criminal cases have been filed against more than 5,000 persons. The agitation gave a new identity to the party as the membership of the Kisan Sabha swelled to 2.51 lakh in Rajasthan.

The report from the CPI (M) State secretary said the party membership in Rajasthan shot up by 35 per cent during the past three years. The three-day party convention, in which 58 members participated, elected a 30-member provincial committee. The convention re-elected Prof. Vasudev as State Secretary while Hariram Chouhan, Hetram Beniwal, Ravindra Shukla, Amra Ram MLA, B.L.Singhvi, Phool Chand Barwar and Duli Chand were elected as members of the State Secretariat.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

CPI(M) looking forward to a firm footing in Rajasthan
New ultimatum on ST status by Gujjar leaders in Rajasthan

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu