The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in New Delhi on February 17-18, 2016. It has issued the following statement on February 18.

RESIST ONSLAUGHT

ON LEFT FORCES

THE Central Committee noted with serious concern the attack launched by the RSS-BJP against the Left forces. It is clear that under the false allegation of the Left forces being “anti-national” the RSS-BJP have mounted an all India attack against the Left. The six Left parties are meeting on February 19 in order to chalk out an all India programme to counter this challenge from the communal forces.

In this context, the Central Committee while strongly condemning the attack mounted by the RSS under the patronage of this BJP-led NDA government against the Jawaharlal Nehru University sees it as part of a larger design by the communal forces to carry forward their agenda in institutions of higher learning. This systemic pattern is clearly visible in the incidents in Film & Television Institute of India, Hyderabad Central University leading to the tragic suicide of Rohith Vemula, the incidents in IIT Chennai and now in Jadavpur University.

It is clear that the RSS-BJP are mounting such efforts to sharpen communal polarisation in the country to also divert the attention of the people from the growing burdens being imposed upon them by the total failure of this NDA-led Modi government on all fronts.

ELECTORAL

TACTICS

The Central Committee worked out, in accordance with the political-tactical line adopted at the 21st Congress, the electoral tactics for the forthcoming elections to the assemblies of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Assam.

West Bengal: In West Bengal, the main task is to restore democracy and foil the aggressive efforts by the communal forces to polarise the people in the state by ousting the present Trinamul Congress government. The CPI(M) will seek the cooperation of all democratic forces in the state to strengthen people’s unity in West Bengal to defeat the Trinamul Congress, isolate the BJP and their machinations.

Kerala: The LDF in Kerala is in the midst of finalising the preparations for defeating the UDF in the state. The large scale corruption and misgovernance has discredited the Congress-led UDF government. The Central Committee has appealed to the people of Kerala to uphold their progressive and democratic traditions and elect the LDF in the state with a decisive majority.

Tamil Nadu & Puducherry: In Tamil Nadu, the Party along with CPI, MDMK and the VCK had formed the People’s Welfare Front and had taken up burning issues of the people. The PWF has now decided to contest the elections as an alliance and has adopted a common minimum programme. In Puducherry also, the PWF will contest elections as an electoral alliance.

Assam: In Assam, the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), RSP, SUCI(C) and the RCPI have decided to contest the election unitedly under the slogan of “Oust the Congress from power, defeat the BJP and strengthen Left and democratic forces in the interest of the unity-integrity, peace and all round development of Assam”.