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Buddadeb will lead in Bengal, no decision yet on Kerala
New Delhi: CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday said that Buddadeb Bhattacharya will lead the party in Bengal while in Kerala it will be decided after the party's state commitee meeting. To a spate of questions on whether V S Achuthanandan and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lead the polls in Kerala and West Bengal, Karat said, 'I am sure Bhattacharjee will lead the election battle and campaign in West Bengal'.
Pressed further on whether the Kerala Chief Minister would contest, he said, 'He is a member of the Central Committee and Bhattacharjee of the Politburo. Both enjoy the full support and confidence of the party'.
He said the two state committees would meet next week and take a final decision. 'We do not dole out seats from here. We work on the method of collective principle. The state committees take a final decision and send it to the central leadership for approval'. Karat also added that the party does not have any need to probe into allegations levelled against V S Achuthanandhan's son Arun kumar.
No indication that AIADMK would join Cong: Karat
The CPI(M) has not got any indication that the AIADMK would leave its allies to join hands with the Congress for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls in the wake of DMK's decision to pull out of the UPA government at the Centre.
Indicating that the DMK-Congress rift was likely to be resolved soon, top CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat today said, 'We
are in the midst of finalising seat sharing with the AIADMK. We have no such indication. We are in constant touch with the
parties with which we are going to contest the elections in Tamil Nadu'.
He was replying to a question whether AIADMK would woo the Congress now that the DMK has pulled out of the UPA and
whether AIADMK, in that case, would leave its present allies.
To a question on the DMK's decision, Karat said, 'Trouble within the UPA is nothing new. Earlier too, they had differences over ministeral berths. It is upto them. They will sort it out, I think. We are not concerned with what they are doing. You will soon see what happens'.
Asked whether the rift would benefit the AIADMK-led coalition, he said in Tamil Nadu, there are two coalitions. 'If one coalition has problems, it will help the other'.
On price rise, Karat said the CPI(M) was opposed to the 'neo-liberal agenda' of the UPA government which allowed
FDI in retail trade and the replacement of the system of subsidised food through PDS with direct cash transfers.
The party was demanding enhancing state support for agriculture and a universal public distribution system, he
said, adding that direct cash transfer was aimed at dismantling and deregulating the PDS.
'They will give cash with an upper limit to the poor and force them to buy food and essential items from the open market', the CPI(M) leader alleged.
Observing that the Union Budget 'manifests all the negative features of the neo-liberal policies', Karat said while it slashes subsidies on food, fertilisers and fuel, it gave massive concessions to the corporate houses.
'While the massive Rs 20,000 crore cut in subsidies of fuel, fertiliser and food will add to the burdens on the people, the UPA government has given corporate tax exemption for 2010-11 totalling over Rs 88,000 crore. Another Rs 40,000
crores is targeted for realisation through disinvestment of PSU shares', he said.
The allocations for the welfare of women, minorities, Dalits and tribals are 'thoroughly inadequate', while the service tax of five per cent on diagnostic tests and for hospitals would make access to health care more difficult for people, the CPI(M) leader said.
On black money, he said the measures announced to tackle this menace were grossly inadequate. 'The Government must launch a drive to unearth black money, especially those stashed in Swiss Banks and other offshore tax havens. The Mauritius route must be plugged by scrapping the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with Mauritius', he said, adding that Participatory Notes used by the foreign institutional investors must be prohibited.
Welcoming the talks with ULFA, Karat said the CPI(M) also wanted the government to initiate talks with other extremist groups who are operating in Assam and Manipur. PTI
New Delhi: CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat on Sunday said that Buddadeb Bhattacharya will lead the party in Bengal while in Kerala it will be decided after the party's state commitee meeting. To a spate of questions on whether V S Achuthanandan and Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lead the polls in Kerala and West Bengal, Karat said, 'I am sure Bhattacharjee will lead the election battle and campaign in West Bengal'.
Pressed further on whether the Kerala Chief Minister would contest, he said, 'He is a member of the Central Committee and Bhattacharjee of the Politburo. Both enjoy the full support and confidence of the party'.
He said the two state committees would meet next week and take a final decision. 'We do not dole out seats from here. We work on the method of collective principle. The state committees take a final decision and send it to the central leadership for approval'. Karat also added that the party does not have any need to probe into allegations levelled against V S Achuthanandhan's son Arun kumar.
No indication that AIADMK would join Cong: Karat
The CPI(M) has not got any indication that the AIADMK would leave its allies to join hands with the Congress for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls in the wake of DMK's decision to pull out of the UPA government at the Centre.
Indicating that the DMK-Congress rift was likely to be resolved soon, top CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat today said, 'We
are in the midst of finalising seat sharing with the AIADMK. We have no such indication. We are in constant touch with the
parties with which we are going to contest the elections in Tamil Nadu'.
He was replying to a question whether AIADMK would woo the Congress now that the DMK has pulled out of the UPA and
whether AIADMK, in that case, would leave its present allies.
To a question on the DMK's decision, Karat said, 'Trouble within the UPA is nothing new. Earlier too, they had differences over ministeral berths. It is upto them. They will sort it out, I think. We are not concerned with what they are doing. You will soon see what happens'.
Asked whether the rift would benefit the AIADMK-led coalition, he said in Tamil Nadu, there are two coalitions. 'If one coalition has problems, it will help the other'.
On price rise, Karat said the CPI(M) was opposed to the 'neo-liberal agenda' of the UPA government which allowed
FDI in retail trade and the replacement of the system of subsidised food through PDS with direct cash transfers.
The party was demanding enhancing state support for agriculture and a universal public distribution system, he
said, adding that direct cash transfer was aimed at dismantling and deregulating the PDS.
'They will give cash with an upper limit to the poor and force them to buy food and essential items from the open market', the CPI(M) leader alleged.
Observing that the Union Budget 'manifests all the negative features of the neo-liberal policies', Karat said while it slashes subsidies on food, fertilisers and fuel, it gave massive concessions to the corporate houses.
'While the massive Rs 20,000 crore cut in subsidies of fuel, fertiliser and food will add to the burdens on the people, the UPA government has given corporate tax exemption for 2010-11 totalling over Rs 88,000 crore. Another Rs 40,000
crores is targeted for realisation through disinvestment of PSU shares', he said.
The allocations for the welfare of women, minorities, Dalits and tribals are 'thoroughly inadequate', while the service tax of five per cent on diagnostic tests and for hospitals would make access to health care more difficult for people, the CPI(M) leader said.
On black money, he said the measures announced to tackle this menace were grossly inadequate. 'The Government must launch a drive to unearth black money, especially those stashed in Swiss Banks and other offshore tax havens. The Mauritius route must be plugged by scrapping the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement with Mauritius', he said, adding that Participatory Notes used by the foreign institutional investors must be prohibited.
Welcoming the talks with ULFA, Karat said the CPI(M) also wanted the government to initiate talks with other extremist groups who are operating in Assam and Manipur. PTI