THE new office building of the CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh state committee was inaugurated in Vijayawada on February 13. On the occasion, Party Polit Bureau member M A Baby said the new office would serve as a centre for building mass movements and public agitations and protests. It would be an active platform for democratic and progressive movements.

Baby said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was guided by the fascist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and that the central government was hatching a plot to usurp the powers of states. The country is slipping into the hands of Ambani, Adani and the mafia and there is a need to fight these problems, he said.
CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B V Raghavulu, speaking on this occasion, said Andhra Pradesh is in crisis in all aspects, including finances. Though the BJP is not strong in AP, it is trying to come to power as both the ruling YSR Congress Party and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are soft-pedalling BJP. At this juncture, it is necessary to launch agitations against the BJP policies by going along with the political parties that fight it, he said.

Former state secretary P Madhu hoisted the Red flag. CPI(M) state secretary V Srinivasa Rao, Central Committee member M A Gafoor, CPI state secretariat member Jelli Wilson were also present.

CONDUCT FREE & PEACEFUL POLL IN TRIPURA
CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Baby and Raghavulu demanded a free and peaceful assembly poll in Tripura, scheduled to be held on February 16. They spoke at a Tripura solidarity meeting organised by the CPI(M) NTR district committee on February 12 in Vijayawada. Baby narrated the situation in Tripura now and about the five-year misrule of the BJP in this north-eastern state. BJP-RSS hooligans resort to violence and intimidate the public to hinder the process of free elections in the state. It is a usual practice to deploy central security forces whenever elections are held. But the centre is now sending police personnel from BJP-ruled states to Tripura. It is a big surprise, he said. He appealed the people of Andhra Pradesh to extend solidarity to the people of Tripura.

Raghavulu said that the people of Tripura are fed up with the BJP misrule and will defeat it. The BJP is afraid that it will lose in the elections, if held in a free and peaceful manner, and so it is intensifying its politics of hatred. It has been trying to wipe out the Left forces and hence is resorting to violence. Ch Baburao, CPI(M) state secretariat member, said that democracy is in peril and protecting it is the responsibility of the people. Party state committee member D Kasinath presided over the meeting. Party NTR district secretary DV Krishna and state committee member Sridevi were present on the dais.