Prakash Karat calls for ouster of Jaya govt in polls

Madurai, Apr 15: Calling for the ouster of the 'anti-democratic' Jayalalithaa Government in the May eight Assembly poll, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat urged the electorate to 'complete the process they began two years ago during the Lok Sabha elections.'

Judging by the record of the last five years, continuation of the AIADMK in power would spell doom for the state, he said, addressing an election meeting in the city last night.

No State Government in the country was as autocratic and anti- democratic as the Jayalalithaa administration, which was intolerant of opposition and trampled on rights and liberties, he charged.

Stating that parliamentary democracy with an effective opposition was the bedrock of the Constitution, the Marxist stalwart asked if Dr Ambedkars Constitution was in operation in Tamil Nadu. If this was the case in the legislature, why had any movement or protest by the people been met with repression, he further queried.

Neglect of the rural poor and failure to address the problems concerning their livelihood had resulted in large scale migration, he said, and cited instances of people from Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu engaged in construction work in far off Himachal Pradesh. According to him farmers had even resorted to suicide and suffered a lot since a common feature in the villages was lack of work.

If there was unity among political parties which had fought the Lok Sabha election together, there was no way for Jayalalithaa to retain power. Then, it would be a clean sweep for Secular-Democratic parties and the Left, he claimed.

This would lead to major political change at the Centre besides leading to increasing isolation of the 'communal' BJP. Further, at the initiative of the Left, there was a paradigm shift in policies with issues and problems of the working classes gaining ascendance on the national agenda, the CPI(M) leader added.

Stressing the need for unity among secular forces, he said the DMK-led DPA should learn a lesson from Bihar, where a display of disunity had proved costly.

The DMK's promise of two acre land to landless poor made in the manifesto came in for appreciation as a major land reform measure. On being voted to power, the DMK should implement it, Mr Karat said, adding this was the secret of the Left Front Government in West Bengal continuing in power for such a long spell. It was poised to return to power for a record seventh consecutive term as 50 lakh families had benefited from land reforms and security for tenants.

The poll in Tamil Nadu was important for the entire country with regard to the direction of developmental polices and preventing imperialist forces from capturing vital resources, he said.

Criticising the BJP's yatras, Mr Karat said the intention was to whip up communal frenzy but it had failed. He claimed the BJP would be nowhere after Assembly elections in five states, as unity among secular forces had isolated it. Attempts of casteist and reactionary forces to divert attention from real issues had not succeeded.

Mr Karat expressed the party's firm resolve to carry on the struggle to exert pressure on the UPA Government to implement the promises made in the Common Minimum Programme on employment generation and increased spending in the social sector.

On a new Government in Tamil Nadu, the CPI(M), as at national level, would continue to fight for implementation of pro-people welfare measures, he asserted.

CPI(M) State Secretary N Varadarajan was among those who spoke.

CPI(M) nominees N Nanmaran and S Venkatesan were introduced on the occasion along with P T R Palanivel Rajan, former Assembly Speaker, V Velusamy and Thamizharasi and N Perumal of the Congress.

UNI