CPM defers decision on UP poll alliance

New Delhi, Sep 26 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today deferred its electoral strategy for the Uttar Pradesh assembly election while the party decided to join hands with the CPI and other secular forces to provide an alternative in Punjab and Uttaranchal.

''We have not taken any decision on election in Uttar Pradesh so far. We will take all factors into account while taking a final decision in consultation with our State Committee,'' CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after the party's three-day central committee meeting.

The CPI (M) is supporting the Mulayam Singh-led Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh while the CPI has decided to oppose the SP by joining hands with the VP Singh-led Jan Morcha.

The CPI (M) State Committee will meet next month to discuss the political situation in Uttar Pradesh. The party Polit Bureau will, however, take the final decision on whom the party should support in the election early next year.

In Manipur, the CPI (M) will contest a limited number of seats, Mr Karat said.

The central committee, which discussed the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Manipur, was of the view that the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab should be opposed ''given its past record and its rank communal basis'', Mr Karat said.

The central committee sought urgent changes in the Special Economic Zone Act saying there has to be a cap on the area of land to be allotted and sought review on giving tax exemption to industries.

The central committee, which authorised the Polit Bureau to prepare a comprehensive stand on the issue, said the stipulation of land to be used in SEZ for industrial purposes should be increased to at least 50 per cent and another 25 per cent for related infrastructure.

Adequate steps for rehabilitation and compensation to displaced people were also demanded by the party, which said SEZs should be set up only with the approval of the state government.

The 85-member central committee, attended by senior leaders including West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, Polit Bureau members Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat and M K Pandhe, also called for assembly elecition in Jharkhand soon to seek a fresh mandate from the people saying the new NDA government could only be ''an interim phase''.

On organisational front, the party increased its membership by nine per cent since 2004 raising the total membership to 945,486, Mr Karat said.

To a question how the party proposes to increase its base in North India where its presence is limited, he evaded a direct reply saying ''it was too big an issue to be summarised in two lines''.

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