THE following candidates were announced by the CPI(M) Haryana state committee for the ensuing state assembly elections.

1. Suresh Kumar                                 Adampur

2. Jagtar Singh                                                Tohana

3. Julana                                              Ramesh Chander

4. Bhiwani Khera®                             Ram Mehar (SC)

5. Kalanaur®                                       Kamlesh-woman(SC)

6. Kalayat®                                         Satyawan(SC)

7. Faridabad-NIT                                Virender Dangwal

There are 90 assembly seats in Haryana Legislative Assembly. The CPI(M) is contesting in seven. The leadership of mass organisations in the state was instrumental in the exercise of formation of a public manifesto. It was prepared by different sections of the society. These sections include; kisans, workers, women, dalits, minorities, government and non-government employees and their organisations. The CPI(M) and CPI have decided to champion this manifesto apart from other demands during the election campaign.

The manifesto was prepared in order to attract the election discourse to the issues of the people. There was an immanent need for such a manifesto as in the last few years issues of the people have become secondary and other issues on the basis of identity, region, religion has been dominating the political debate.

Main issues of the public manifesto are as:

• Public education- In the decade of 1970-80, the structure for primary education was almost completely created. But in the last 20-25 years the successive governments have not given sufficient attention on this sector. This has led to mushrooming of private schools even in the countryside leading to closing of many government schools. The manifesto demands that regular appointment of teachers in both school and university level of education must be carried out.
• Health services- Haryana is on the 12th postion in the ladder social development thought per capita income in the state is quite high. Despite the fact that in the initial years of development of the state there was investment in public health in the latter years the direction has been for more privatisation of health services. In the Rohtak Medical College, one of the premier institutes of medical education and research more than 33 per cent seats in different categories are lying vacant. These include posts of doctors and other para-medical staff. Massive shortfall of infrastructure is a profound cry in almost all the health institutions. In the state there are about 2,100 doctors and 21,000 other medical personnel. From the health standards it is pertinent to mention that  for a population of 2.8 crore there must be an availability of 28,000 doctors, whereas the number is not even 10 per cent of the requirement. No bureaucrat or political of the ruling elite gets treatment in government hospitals rather rush to a sever star private hospital where the state exchequer pays for their treatment. This has to change. Universalistion of health services is the only solution to such a situation that exists in the state.
• Other public services-Apart from health and education, transport is another important sector that has been neglected by the government. The state transport can run without any subsidy from the government. The government instead of strengthening the state public transport is privatising pubic transport. More than one lakh people can be employed in this sector alone. Similarly, the public manifesto demands strong government support for drinking water and other services like drainage and sewage management.
• Sustainable cities- Haryana is a state which has a higher ratio than the all India average of urbanization. The state is nearly 38 per cent urban. However without a comprehensive development plan of the cities there is moribund growth. Pollution is a universal phenomenon is almost all the cities. The city planning must be made more democratic with participation of the people. The urban commons which are robbed and handed over to private players in the form of real estate development must be stopped.
• Forest conservation and development- The state is the least forest cover state in the country that has just 3 per cent of forest land. Even this three per cent of land is under tremendous pressure especially after the amendments brought out in the PLPA(Punjab Land Preservation Act) law to dilute it; the Aravallis face virtual extinction in the state to meet the greed of the big real estate giants. The forests must be protected as they are part of the people’s commons.
• Law and order situation- There is massive intervention of the political masters in the day to day affair of the functionoing of the police in respective police stations. The public manifesto demands that the public control over police actions must be established for its democratic functioning. Secondly the weaker sections of the society should have a larger proportion in the state police.
• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry- These two sectors happens to be the backbone of the state’s economy. Both these sectors are linked and are in dire crisis. The public manifesto demands that research in agriculture and other allied sectors must be strengthened so that dependence on foreign companies can be minimized. Remunerative price for agricultural products is one of the important demands of the manifesto.
• Industrial sector- The state of Haryana produces almost 50 per cent of the motor vehicles in the country. Nearly 10 lakh people work in the industrial sector. The working condition of these workmen is contractual and part time. There is hardly a facility of housing for the workmen and hence they are forced to live in shanty colonies and slums. Hostels for the workers is one of the important demands of the public manifesto.
• Social Justice- The state has witnessed some of the worst incidents of honour killing and other forms of injustice against the women and dalits. The manifesto demands that the vacant posts in various government offices must be filled and the privatisation drive should be stopped.
• Administrative and Political Reforms-The election expenditure must be borne by the state and private funding must be stopped. Political discrimination must be done away with and staff selection, except for employment on compassionate grounds, must be done by the public service commission on a transparent basis.