THE Telangana assembly elections are being held on December 7. The Bahujan Left Front (BLF) of which the CPI(M) is also a constituent is contesting all 119 seats in the state. The CPI(M) is contesting in 26 assembly constituencies.

CPI(M) leaders including Sitaram Yechury, Manik Sarkar, Brinda Karat, BV Raghavulu and K Hemalata participated in the election campaign and addressed a large number of public meetings.

Sitaram Yechury spoke in public meetings held in Mahbubabad, Wyra, Bonakallu, Miryalaguda, Chowtuppal and Ibrahimpatnam. He called upon the people to elect the CPI(M) and BLF candidates. He described the general political situation in the country and stated that in the name of cow protection dalits, Minorities and Christians were massacred. False cases were registered at the behest of BJP, against those who opposed such attacks. The government is more concerned about the big corporates, who have looted more than Rs 12 lakh crore of public money. Modi government is allowing them to flee the country. The hardest hit areas under the Modi rule are education, health and employment. The government that boasted of corruption free governance has been badly exposed in the Rafale scam which is of more than Rs 21,000 crore. Labour laws have been amended to please the corporates. The brunt is faced by small scale industries which are getting closed down. The BJP is spreading vicious venom of religious fanaticism which is extremely dangerous for the country.

Speaking about the KCR government, Sitaram said that he had promised to change the lives of Telangana people but instead KCR has looted the state. The Telangana people are forced to migrate to the cities and other states of the country for want of jobs. Telangana elections are keenly observed as this may impact the ensuing parliamentary elections.

Manik Sarkar termed the KCR and Modi government as two birds of the same feather. He spoke about the disastrous impact of demonetisation which led to phenomenal loss to small farmers, traders and other working sections of the people. He addressed election meetings in united Khammam district, Nakirekal, and Bhuvanagiri. He said the BLF is an ideal alternative of the people against the BJP and the Congress.

Brinda Karat narrated the profile of Battula Hymavathy contesting from Paleru constituency. Hymavathy lost her husband. He was killed by the Maoists but she stood up to carry the red flag, Brinda stated. She held election meetings in Ghoshamahal assembly constituency where Chandramukhi, a transgender is contesting from the BLF. Later she participated in a road show. Brinda castigated the TRS and the BJP for showing opposition against each other in Telangana whereas they are together in Delhi.  Speaking on the Congress alliance, she said that their sole intention is to come to power and are not interested to solve the problems of the people.  

 “Colluding with centre, the KCR government brought elections eight months in advance in the state”, BV Raghavulu said, while speaking in support of CPI(M) candidates  in Secunderabad, Gadwal, Janagama, Nizamabad and Warangal constituencies . He said that neither the Modi government at the centre nor KCR in Telangana have done anything for the people.

K Hemalata participated in the election campaign and addressed meetings in Khanapur, Manchiryal, Ramagundam, Nizamabad and Medak districts and appealed the people to elect CPI(M) and BLF candidates . She participated in the meetings in working class areas. She exhorted the people to elect such candidates who raise working class issues in the assembly.

The other speakers who campaigned widely in the state include Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of B R Ambedkar and Kancha Ilaiah, chairman of T mass. They spoke in election meetings and participated in road shows. The BLF has the largest number of candidates from BCs, SCs and STs. They said that apart from an explicit mention that the chief minister of the state will be from BC and the deputy chief minister a woman, the BLF once elected to power shall work for Rythu bandhu, Kooli bandhu and food canteens. Prakash firmly said that the ‘blue’ (Ambedkarism) and the ‘red’ (Marxism) are a historical necessity and that it is gaining strength in large parts of the country.

Tammineni Veerabhadram, CPI(M)  state secretary also addressed  large number of election meetings in the state. In these meetings, he said that though the state of Telangana was formed but the lives of the people have not changed for the better. He said only KCR’s family has developed. He said in case BLF wins the elections and forms a government, there will be free education from KG to PG with food facility. Health will be brought entirely into public domain.

Meanwhile there were meetings, rallies, road shows, house to house campaigns and public meetings in Nampally, Dubbaka, Miryalaguda, Huzurnagar, Kodada, Bhonagiri, Nakerekal, Devarakonda, Ghanapur, Ramagundam, Khanapur, Vaira, Sangareddy, Zaheerabad,  Bhadrachalam, Secunderabad , Paleru, Ibrahimpatnam , Patancheruvu and Mulugu. 

Central Committee members R Arun Kumar, Cherupally Seetharamulu, G Nagaiah and others also participated in the election campaign for the BLF and CPI(M) candidates.