Portents of UP Elections

THE Uttar Pradesh assembly election has resulted in an unprecedented sweep for the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP with its smaller allies has won 325 out of the 403 seats and polled 41.4 percent of the vote which is just fractionally lower than the percentage polled in the Lok Sabha election.It is important to understand how the BJP has achieved this success if a coherent political platform and alternative to the BJP has to be worked out.

AIDWA Condemns Steep Hike in LPG Cylinder Prices

AIDWA strongly condemns the savage hike in the price of non subsidized cooking gas cylinders by Rs 86 per cylinder, brought into immediate effect by the BJP central government on March 1, 2017. This is historically the highest increase in the cost of unsubsidised gas cylinders in the country. The average Indian household, which has either given up the subsidy, or the eligible households which have exceeded their quota of 12 cylinders annually, will now have to pay Rs 737.50 for a single cylinder of gas, up from Rs 651.50 per cylinder as on February 28, 2017.

BJP, TMC & IPFT Trying to Foment Trouble in Tripura

AS the people of Tripura are mounting a struggle against anti-people policies of the Modi government, particularly demonetisation which affected the day-to-day life of the common people, the BJP, TMC and the tribal based regional party IPFT are indulging in undemocratic activities to disturb the peace and amity of the state. Though these anti-CPI(M) and anti-Left parties are working separately, it is amply clear that they have reached a secret understanding to create law and order situation in the state and to damage the traditional bond of tribal and non-tribal populations.

Tripura Budget: Reflection of an Alternative Approach

ON February 20, Bhanulal Saha, the Finance Minister of the Tripura Left Front government, presented the budget proposals for 2017-18 in the Legislative Assembly. The budget, having no new tax proposal, puts priority on education, health care, agriculture, rural development and social welfare to usher in all-round development of the state, especially laying emphasis on the well-being of all sections of working and middle class people. Saha, in his budget speech, said that the lack of infrastructure is the primary bottleneck not only for Tripura, but for all the states in the Northeast.

The Latest GDP Estimates

PERHAPS no other public policy debate in post-independence India has seen as much of an “inversion of reason” on the part of the government as the demonetisation debate. When critics were pointing, on the basis of government statistics themselves, to the palpable failure of the demonetisation measure to achieve its purported objective, which was to cripple the black economy, the government kept harping, in its justification, on the extraordinary“boldness” of the move.

TELANGANA: Fight Back RSS-BJP Threats to Democratic Rights and Communal Harmony

POLIT Bureau member of the CPI(M), BV Raghavulu warned that the threats coming from the leaders of the RSS and the BJP pose a danger to the democratic rights, constitutional and secular values and communal harmony in the entire country. He made it clear that it was not an issue confined to the CPI(M) alone and appealed to all democratic, progressive and social forces to oppose with one voice such threats coming from the leaders and activities of the RSS and BJP.

RSS Attacks on SFI Activists in Kerala

The ABVP-RSS goons have been targeting SFI activists in Kerala. In the past few weeks, there were several attacks on SFI leaders in various parts of Kerala. December 16, 2016: KS Akhil, SFI unit president of Kerala Varma College in Thrissur was attacked on his way to the college by two ABVP-RSS men on a bike. He suffered injuries to his right hand and had to be admitted to hospital.January 18, 2017: Rathin Raj, joint secretary of Konni area committee of SFI in Pathanamthitta district was attacked by about 20 RSS goondas. He was attacked with a sword and

Study on the impact of demonetisation on Kerala economy: WHAT CAN BE DONE?

On November 23, the Kerala State Planning Board appointed a Committee to study the impact of demonetisation on the economy of Kerala. The committee has come out with a report, the excerpts of which were published in the issue dated. Below are the recommendations of the committee.117. Despite the damage it has done, the central government is politically unwilling to reverse its demonetisation decision. On the other hand, full “remonetisation” of the economy is unlikely before the third quarter of 2017. As of now ceilings on withdrawals remain in place.

RSS Threat Condemned

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on March 2.THE Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the threats being issued by RSS leaders against the Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan.

Thank You Women's Day

THERE are a lot of people who need to be thanked for their wishes on the Women's Day. Indeed the list is quite long, but taking into consideration the constraints of time and space here are a few that should not be missed at any cost.Let's start with the pradhan mantri, err, pradhan sewak. Not the one to shy away from showing his strength in using the 140-character handle, he 'twished' (this is a tweet+wish) saluting the 'indomitable spirit, determination & dedication of Nari Shakti on International Women's Day'.

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