THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI state executive has decided to field one of its national secretaries Binoy Viswam for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls. With the LDF set to win two of the three seats falling vacant, Mr Viswam's entry into Upper House is almost certain. The poll for the three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala is scheduled to be held on June 21. The CPI leader said the party had entrusted him with an important responsibility and that too at a crucial juncture.
"The country is passing through a difficult phase. The basic tenets of constitution; secularism, democracy, socialist principles are under attack from the BJP-RSS led government in the Centre. This fascist onslaught has to be fought to defend our democratic-secular polity," Viswam said adding that it was heartening that a broader platform of anti BJP-RSS forces, capable of defeating the fascists, was emerging across the country.
He said this was evident from the results of Gorakhpur, Phulpur , Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll and the assembly by-elections held across the country. Mr Viswam who rose from student movement being the national president of AISF in 1976, has worn many hats in his political career. He was permanent representative of the AIYF at the international headquarters of World Federation of Democratic Youth in Budapest, Hungary from 1983 to 1987. Elected to Kerala legislative assembly twice, in 2001 and 2006, Mr Viswam as forest minister in Achuthanandan government had initiated several steps for environment and forest protection.
