Separate documents for each 140 Assembly seat
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM has decided to seek people's opinion prior to preparing its election manifesto for the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.
The decision was taken at the state committee meeting of the party which concluded on Wednesday. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the party would bring out separate manifestos for each 140 Assembly constituency, focussing on local issues. Development seminars will be held ahead of preparation of constituency level manifestos. These seminars would be over by February. Apart from LDF workers, the CPM intends to involve people from social and cultural fields for preparatory meetings. The recommendations and suggestions received at these meetings would be incorporated in the manifestos.
Mr Balakrishnan said a comprehensive document would be compiled on the ideas discussed at the 4th International Congress on Kerala Studies. He added that propaganda that Left was against development needs of the state was baseless.
The party will also seek people's opinion while choosing candidates for the Assembly polls. Individual's profile, track record and support among the locals would be taken into consideration.
The CPM state secretary said his party never opposed the high speed rail corridor project. “Our party extended full support to the project during the all-party meeting convened by the chief minister. But the project could not take off because the lapses on the government's part,” he said.
The CPM has decided to initiate fresh programmes to expand Left’s mass base in the state besides building on the support it received during the recent local bodies’ poll.
He said though the UDF government had announced projects like gas pipeline and four lane roads with much fanfare, these could not materialise because of government's failure. "We will assure the people that LDF will turn these projects into a reality," he added.
The CPM will organise women's parliament on the lines of the one organised in Kochi recently in which more than 4,500 women took part. Similar, women parliaments will be organised at the district and assembly segment level.
Mr Balakrishnan said the party had conducted detailed review of the local bodies poll held in November. LDF led in 86 Assembly constituencies while UDF had received huge setback securing lead in just 54 onstituencies.
Even in Palakkad and Kasargod constituencies which the BJP had claimed to be its stronghold, it could not make any significant gains. However, the gains secured by BJP in some parts of the state are being viewed seriously.
The CPM has decided to initiate fresh programmes to expand Left's mass base in the state besides building on the support it received during the recent local bodies' poll.
SJ(D) keeps away from UDF first manifesto meet
In a major embarrassment to the UDF at the first sitting of the manifesto committee of the front, Socialist Janata (Democratic) party leadership was conspicuous by its absence. Party general secretary Prof. Varghese George was supposed to attend the meeting.
Ever since CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan attended the book releasing function of SJ (D) chairman M. P. Veerendra Kumar, things have not been rosy with the Congress and other allies in the front.
However, UDF convener P. P. Thankachan informed reporters here that Mr. George abstained from the first sitting owing to personal reasons. "He also did not attend the district council meeting of the SJ (D) here".
Mr Thankachan also informed that the future of JSS leader A. N. Rajan Babu will be taken soon. He also did not attend today's UDF meeting.
