THE streets of Caracas and other cities in Venezuela were flooded with common people who had come out to solemnly observe the first death anniversary of Hugo Chavez on March 5. The small minority opposed to his legacy continued with its violent protests in scattered upper middle class areas of Caracas and a few cities. The presidents of Cuba and Bolivia, Raul Castro and Evo Morales respectively, had flown to Caracas to be personally present on the occasion of the late leader’s first death anniversary.

THE General Elections for the 16th Lok Sabha is going to be held in the background of a crisis in the economy and the society as a fallout of the vigorous pursuit of neo-liberal policies by the successive governments at the centre, particularly those led by both the Congress and the BJP.

THE CPI(M) released final set of its booklets for election campaign on March 28. Out of the total 11 booklets prepared by the Party, four were released – two each on March 24 and March 26 and remaining seven booklets were released by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member A K Padmanabhan and Central Committee member, Sudha Sundararaman. The seven booklets of the final set are:
For An Alternative Food Security and Price Control Policy
To Advance Workers' Rights
To Protect and Defend Agriculture, Farmers and Workers
Against the Caste System: For Equity and Dignity of Dalits

THE manner in which the RSS/BJP is pumping in monetary and material resources in the current campaign to ensure the success of its prime ministerial aspirant to head the future Indian government after the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections is, indeed, unprecedented. According to some, it is allegedly estimated that the recently enhanced Election Commission’s limit on expenditures per candidate per constituency of Rs 70 lakh has already been far exceeded (totalling all 542 constituencies) by the RSS/BJP in projecting their PM aspirant alone.

THE Tripura East (ST) Lok Sabha seat is to go to poll on April 12. Spread over Dhalai, Khowai North, Unakoti and a part of both Gomati and South Tripura districts, this constituency has 30 assembly segments. Since the first general election of 1952, this constituency has been a stronghold of the Left. Out of the 15 elections held so far, it has sent communist members to parliament ten times. It was this seat which legendary communist leader, Comrade Dasharath Deb, used to contest. In 1952 he contested from this seat while he was underground.