CPI discusses assembly polls, Indo Pak peace process

New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) The top leadership of the Communist Party of India ( CPI) began serious delibrations here today to finalise their strategy for the forthcoming assembly polls, price rise, current political situation and the economic scenario.

The Left Party's 29-member National Executive meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the CPI(M)'s view to side with the Maulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi party in Uttar Pradesh as the CPI favours poll alliance with the Jan Morcha of Mr V P Singh.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan, Party Floor leader in the Lok Sabha-Gurudas Dasgupta, Deputy leader C K Chandrappan, Party National Secretaries D Raja, Atul Kumar Anjan and Ms Amrajeet Kaur are attending the meeting being held at Ajoy Bhawan, the party headquarters.

Mr D Raja told UNI that the party leadership is also discussing among other things the outcome of the NAM Havana Meet and India's role, the resumption of Indo- Pak peace process and the move to set up another 200 Special Economic Zones in different parts of the country and its impact.

The CPI leaders are also discussing about the continuing agarian crisis and the farmers' suicides and the sky rocketing rise in the prices of essential commodities.

CPI another National Secretary and party Weekly New Age editor Shamim Faizi said apart from discussing the UPA government's performance, the party leadership will also discuss about the government's foreign policy.

Mr Faizi said the meeting was important on several counts as it had to finalise preparations on the UP polls and explore the possibility that the secular votes were not split as happened in Bihar.

''We are discussing the ways and means on how the Left go together to ensure a coordinated approach for the assembly elections.'' The ways and means would also have to be found for a common approach for Punjab and Uttarakhand polls, the CPI leaders added.

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