Below we publish some reports of the CPI(M) campaign across the country for the 2014 General Elections. ANDHRA PRADESH CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B V Raghavulu called on adivasis to ensure the victory of CPI(M) candidates in order to protect their rights. He was campaigning for Dr M Babu Rao, CPI(M) candidate in Araku (ST) constituency in Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Union tribal minister Kishore Chandra Deo is the Congress candidate from this seat. Dr Babu Rao is the AP Girijana Sangham general secretary and a committed tribal activist. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Bhadrachalam (ST) constituency in 2004. Raghavulu addressed several meetings in the valley and participated in road shows along with Babu Rao. Adivasis thronged to these events and enthusiastically cheered the speeches. Raghavulu faulted the sitting MP and union minister Deo for opposing bauxite mining in the region only in a namesake manner but not cancelling the leases. This mining is displacing thousands of tribals and ruining their lives. The Congress government in the state has failed to implement the Forest Rights Act that was enacted by UPA government under pressure from CPI(M) that launched struggles on this issue. Even the SC, ST Sub Plans have never been implemented with sincerity by the Congress governments. Either the allocations are not in proportion to the population or even the meagrge amounts allocated are diverted for non SC, ST purposes. He said the Congress party has no right to seek the votes of tribals whom it has deceived through its policies. Raghavulu reminded the tribals how the CPI(M) in contrast has fought consistently for their rights and stood by them in times of their needs. The CPI(M) along with other mass organisations conducted many medical camps in the region during viral fever outbreaks, diarrhea etc when the government machinery was found utterly lacking. In the meanwhile, on April 29, Brinda Karat, CPI (M) Polit Bureau member, campaigned extensively in Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. Addressing meetings in Gajuvaka, Vishakapatnam West and Vishakapatnam North assembly constituencies, she attacked TDP for facilitating BJP's rise in the state. CPI(M) candidate for Gajuvaka is Party state secretariat member and trade union leader Ch Narasingha Rao. Karat stressed the need to elect Narsingha Rao who worked tirelessly to safeguard public sector industries in Vishakapatnam. She charged the Congress and BJP of pursuing similar neo-liberal economic policies that are ruining the working people.Would you ever allow robbers and dacoits to enter your home?” asked Brinda Karat, addressing a huge gathering of workers and other people near the main gate of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). The mood was electric. The expectant audience responded with vociferous shouts of “No! No!” “Then how can you allow those who want to rob your livelihood to represent you in the assembly or the parliament?” she responded. The workers understood what she was saying and burst into applause and slogan-shouting. Brinda Karat was addressing an unprecedented public meeting at the VSP gate on April 29, in support of veteran CITU leader Ch Narasinga Rao, who is contesting as a CPI (M) candidate from Gajuwaka assembly constituency. Elections to the Andhra state assembly are to be held on May 7 along with the Lok Sabha polls. Like any other day, the main gate of VSP is crowded at 8.30 in the morning. It is shift change time - workers and executives on duty in the night shift come out and those in the general shift go in to work. Usually trade unions hold their gate meetings by blocking the road in front of the gate.  But this time, due to Election Commission’s strict instructions, the police did not allow this. So, a small van was placed on the side of the road from where the speakers addressed the meeting. The road was partially clear and people could come and go if they wanted. But everybody stopped and listened with rapt attention during the hour-long meeting. Later, everybody agreed that this was the most successful meeting they had ever seen at the spot. The police initially tried to stall the meeting but sensing the mood of the people, they fell quiet and started listening to the speeches. Only a day before, the Telugu Desam party had tried to hold a meeting but utterly failed as nobody stopped to hear their speeches.  Lakhs of people (directly and indirectly) are depending on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant for their survival. Gajuwaka is an industrial area where heavy, medium and small scale industries are there, giving employment to lakhs of workers.  Brinda Karat said that Ch Narasinga Rao is a representative not only of the party but of all the working people, employees and toiling masses.  “Since the ruling parties do not have any respect for the working people, none of them have fielded any worker or trade union leader as a candidate from their parties,” Karat said.  She appealed to the workers not to underestimate the threat posed by the policies of Congress, BJP, TDP & YSRCP. They are bent upon destroying the livelihoods of workers by supporting privatisation or disinvestment of the Steel Plant. “For these parties, VSP is only important for them to privatise, loot and then close down.  But, for you, the Steel Plant is your bread and butter. You have been fighting for the last 10 years for the survival of the plant. While you are fighting here, we the representatives of the Left particularly CPI (M) in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha fought tooth and nail against the government’s disinvestment policies,” Brinda Karat declared. TELANGANA CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat campaigned in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during April 27–30. She began her election campaign with a road show in Nalgonda district of Telangana campaigning for CPI(M) Lok Sabha candidates from Nalgonda and Bhuvanagiri constituencies, Nandyala Narasimha Reddy and Cherupalli Seetharamulu as also for candidates in assembly segments. Addressing sizeable crowds, she called on people to defeat Congress and reject TDP-BJP alliance in the polls that will be held on April 30 in this region. She termed the TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu as the biggest opportunist. The BJP is the most anti-poor party in the country and also the most dangerous in terms of communalism. After killing thousands of minorities in Gujarat, one should be wary of Modi's promise of implementing Gujarat model for the entire country. She said Modi is the joint representative of RSS and big corporates. The next day Brinda Karat campaigned for CPI(M) assembly candidates in Khammam district. There was enthusiastic participation in the road show she held in Paleru and Madhira assembly constituencies along with CPI(M) candidates. Women participated in large numbers. She called upon the people to elect CPI(M) candidates who work relentlessly on people's issues and defeat the corrupt Congress. She attacked the TDP for its opportunistic alliance with communal BJP and called for defeating the alliance. SHIMLA A HUGE procession was organised by the Party in the Nabha-Phagli ward, in favour of the CPI(M) candidate from Shimla, Jagat Ram. Addressing the crowd at the occasion, mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation and CPI(M) state secretariat member, Sanjay Chauhan,  said that despite the non-cooperative behaviour of Congress and BJP councillors, the CPI(M) has been successful in ensuring large scale development of the city. Developmental projects worth Rs 20 crores have been undertaken in all wards of the city, which is a record in itself. While urging people to vote for Jagat Ram, he said that the CPI(M) has always taken up issues of the common public and been at the forefront of struggles of workers and peasants. Whenever there are incidents of oppression or injustice against anybody, CPI(M) Party workers are always the first to offer help and assistance, he added. No other party has such an attitude to help people. He also said that Jagat Ram has a wide experience of working among the people. Sanjay Chauhan also said that the condition of public services in the state has deteriorated rapidly. The structure of services like health, education, electricity, water and tourism has completely collapsed. Such sectors, which should be in the hands of the government, are being outsourced to private companies who are levying rates as per their will. This is increasing the economic burden of the people who are already suffering from price rise. Such privatisation is most rampant in the health and education sectors, he said. Adding that there has been a sudden flood of private universities over which the government has no control, whether in terms of the standard of quality or in terms of its fee structure, he said that if this situation is not reversed, life will become very difficult for the ordinary people. Besides Sanjay Chauhan and CPI(M) local committee members, Balvir Parashar and Prem Kayath, a large number of local people and Party activists also participated in the procession. The deputy mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation and CPI(M) state secretariat member, Tikender Singh Panwar and CITU state secretary and Party leader, Vijendra Mehra addressed another rally organised in Sunni and urged people to vote for the Left. Activists of the CPI(M) and its fraternal organisations, enthusiastically participated in the rally. VARANASI CPI (M) candidate from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, Hiralal Yadav, said that historically Varanasi has been a city of peasants, weavers, shopkeepers and small scale businessmen. The Left forces have a strong effect on peasants, weavers and the marginalised sections of the city. CPI (M) has built several movements raising their demands and issues. One among them is the movement demanding compensation for 4.5 lakh farmers affected due to flood. CPI (M) was the only party to raise this demand. During the construction of the Ganga expressway, the issue of forcible acquisition of land of farmers belonging to 32 villages had come up. The Party and Kisan Sabha played an important role in leading the struggles of these farmers. Farmers mobilised under the banner of the Party and Kisan sabha, uprooted stones laid by authorities to identify lands which were acquired for the construction of the expressway. The Party received massive support of farmers belonging to all 32 villages. In the month of November, when the crops were drying up due to drought, the Party organised a protest against it demanding compensation and blocked GT Road. In response to the regular power deficit, Party workers went on an indefinite strike inside the power station. Due to mass pressure, the administration was forced to surrender to the Party’s demand and started the power supply within two days. He also said that the sitting MP from BJP, Murli Manohar Joshi, never took up these issues despite being a representative of the people. Speaking on the spectacle of Narendra Modi’s nomination, Hiralal Yadav said that it was a violation of the model code of conduct and the Party will complain about it to the Election Commission. He also said that most people in the crowd were brought from Gujarat and other parts of the nation. Most of the hotels and guest houses in Varanasi were booked to accommodate them. This massive crowd was manufactured by the BJP and the RSS to influence voting not only on April 24, but in the remaining phases of voting too. He added that Modi symbolises the dangerous nexus between corporate houses and communal forces. This is evident from the fact that his rally was organised by all communal organisations and was live telecasted on all TV channels. He pointed out that this election is special because for the first time in history, 84 people have filed their nominations from this seat. Most of these nominations are a plot created by the RSS and the BJP.  A majority of these people are agents of their organisations who have filed nominations just to gain access to the polling booth on the day of elections so that they can influence voters and manipulate votes. He also said that a rebel leader of BJP who was a councillor as well as a close aide of Murli Manohar Joshi, has also filed his nomination. Adding that people are accusing Modi of being an outsider, he said that Modi is trying to divide Varanasi on communal lines thereby intensifying a sense of fear among minorities. TEHRI ADDRESSING various public meetings in Tehri Lok Sabha constituency in favour of CPI(M) candidate, Shiv Prasad Deoli, CPI(M) Central Committee member and Rajya Sabha MP, Tapan Sen, said that both the BJP and the Congress follow anti-people policies and that the common public’s interest will never be a priority till they stay in power. He said that their economic and foreign policies have led to an endless rise in prices and unemployment which is adding to the burden of the people. He added that BJP’s attempt to buy the media and manufacture a Modi wave will not yield results and people will ensure that he does not come to power. Tapan Sen said that the CPI(M) has contributed immensely to the development of Tehri constituency and has always led struggles of the area which makes Shiv Prasad Deoli the most appropriate candidate. He urged the electorate to vote in large numbers for the CPI(M) candidate. Shiv Prasad Deoli told people that he has spent all his life working between people and fighting for their causes and therefore, deserves to be elected as a parliamentarian. He added that the Congress and BJP are least interested in serving people and are shedding crocodile tears just to win elections.  Prior to the meeting, the speakers remembered the famous freedom fighter of the Peshawar Conspiracy, Comrade Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali and pledged to take his struggles forward. On April 23,1930, Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali – who was a soldier in the British Indian Army - refused to fire at freedom fighters protesting against the British in front of the Kissakhani Bazar Police Chowki, Peshawar. He paid a heavy price for taking this step. He, along with his battalion, had to face a lot of trouble and also spent many years in jail. Besides Tapan Sen and Shiv Prasad Deoli, the Party district secretary, Surendra Singh Sajwan and other speakers like Virendra Bhandari, Indu Naundiyal, Lekhraj, Madan Mohan Mishra, Rajendra Purohit, Kamruddin, DK Mukherjee, Vipin Joshi and Abhishek Bhandari etc. also addressed the meeting. BIHAR ON the first leg of his election tour in Bihar, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai, visited the Bettiah, Darbhanga, Ujiyarpur (Samastipur) and Khagaria parliamentary constituencies, from where the Party has put up candidates. He addressed six meetings of workers and sympathisers and explained in detail the emerging political scenario in the country in the face of the collapse of the Congress party all across the country. At the behest of the RSS, the BJP has been carrying on the presidential style political campaign by declaring Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate who is responsible for the worst carnage in Gujarat in 2002 when thousands of innocent men, women and children lost their lives, for the only reason that they were all Muslims. Pillai tore to shreds the economic policies pursued by the UPA government which has resulted in pauperisation of the common and toiling people of India on the one hand and fattening of a tiny section of the super-rich on the other. He attributed the incident of rising prices of essential goods and services, the all-time high unemployment and the pauperisation of the peasantry as the deliberate policies of the government, only to squeeze the common man and transfer their wealth to the wealthiest section of the country. The bourgeois leaders, bureaucrats and corporate nexus are on a looting spree and nothing is beyond their reach today. The land, mines, water, rivers, natural oil and gas are being handed over to the private players and they are maximising their profits by raising the prices of all these natural resources. The BJP is not at all different from the Congress in pursuing the same neo-liberal policies. The BJP has been complicit in parliament in supporting the bills based on anti-people policies even when it is fighting bitterly on trivial issues. BJP’s mascot, Narendra Modi, is now the darling of the corporate houses of the country and the so-called Gujarat model has become a brand commodity being sold to the common people of India. With brand Hindutva, it has become a heady cocktail which will destroy the secular ethos of this country and hence it poses a great threat to our syncretic culture. In this political environment, Pillai said, it is our duty to see that the Congress led UPA is thrown out and the BJP led NDA is kept out of power. To keep the communal forces at bay, the CPI(M) intervened and convened an anti-communal meeting of secular political parties in Delhi on October 30, 2013, in which 14 political parties participated. Such meeting were also organised on February 5 and 25, 2014, and views were exchanged regarding the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. It was decided that the CPI(M) should have electoral understandings to defeat the Congress led UPA and checkmate the BJP led NDA from usurping power at the centre. But in most of the cases, that could not materialise. Despite that, we have to pursue our goal and increase the strength of the party and the Left forces in parliament. Pillai also informed about the positive signals received from Tripura and Kerala and hoped that the Left would get more seats in West Bengal too. Outside these three states, we would strive to get seats in states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. From Bettiah to Khagaria, Pillai urged the party leaders, cadres and supporters to work tirelessly to win the seats being contested. His meetings were well attended, in which women also participated in large numbers. He addressed the largest gathering at Samastipur where party leaders, cadres, members and sympathisers as well as members of mass organisations had gathered in a large number when the CPI(M) candidate went to file his nomination papers. Pillai put forward his ideas about how to reach the masses and bring them closer to the party. His visit enthused the cadres and galvanised the whole party apparatus in this most important political battle. CPI(M) state secretary Vijay Kamnt Thakur, state secretariat members and party candidates --- Prabhuraj Narayan Rao, Hriday Narayan Yadav, Ramdeo Verma and Jagdish Chandra Basu --- were present in their respective constituencies where Pillai addressed the gatherings. (Arun Kumar Mishra)