WEST BENGALCPI(M) and the Left parties held a campaign against communalism in West Bengal to thwart the designs of communal forces, particularly of the RSS. RSS-BJP had proposed to hold rathyatras in the state, scheduled to be inaugurated by Amit Shah. Left parties have resolutely declared to resist attempts to communalise the atmosphere.

A DAY after the CPI(M) Gujarat state committee meeting on December 8, a Party state workshop was held in Ahmedabad on December 9 to give a boost to mass front work in the state. It was attended by 67 state office-bearers and other main activists working on the trade union, kisan, women, youth, student and lawyers’ fronts from 14 of the 16 districts where the Party exists. It was the first time that such a workshop was being held in Gujarat.IMPORTANT ACTIONSThis workshop was being held in the background of some important actions led by the mass fronts in Gujarat.

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.

MOVEMENT and mobilisation of slum dwellers in West Bengal is gaining momentum. This has been reflected in second state conference of Paschim Banga Basti Unnayan Samity(PBUS)- the largest organisation of slum dwellers in the state. The conference, held on December 1-2, in Kolkata, was preceded by organising slum dwellers at slum, town and district levels. In all 754 slum level committees were formed throughout the state, though, according to leaders of the PBUS, this covers only a part of the actual potential.There was organisation of slum dwellers in Kolkata and Howrah.

THE Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, continues its winning streak by registering an emphatic victory in the local body by-elections, amidst the high-decibel anti-government campaign unleashed by the Sangh Parivar outfits over the Sabarimala verdict.The elections were held for 39 local bodies in all the 14 districts in the state and the LDF has won 21 seats as it wrested five from UDF and one from BJP.