CPM Polit Bureau to discuss assembly poll strategies

Kolkata, Jan 1 (UNI) A one-day Polit Bureau (PB) meeting of the CP(M) began here today to discuss the party's strategy in the forthcoming assembly elections in four states, along with other national issues.

''We are going to discuss the forthcoming assembly elections and the current political situation in the country,''party spokesperson Sitaram Yechury told newsmen before the meeting.

Assembly elections in Punjab, Uttaranchal and Manipur would be held in February while the date for Uttar Pradesh is yet to be announced.

The CPI(M) had earlier declared that the party would forge an electoral alliance with a local force in Uttar Pradesh to fight both the BJP and Congress, sources said.

The party is also likely to take up the problems following the infighting in Kerala, where Chief Minister V S Achutanandan and state committee secretary Pinaraiya Vijayan were leading two rival factions.

However, claiming that 'there is no crisis in Kerela' Mr Yechury said all developments, both political and organisational, would be discussed.

In reply to a question on whether the PB agenda included the issue of land acquisition in the background of the industrialisation move by the West Bengal government and the recent unrest triggered by Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee over Singur issue, Mr Yechury said all these matters would be considered.

Veteran leader M K Pandhe indicated that the meeting would also discuss about information technolgy among other things.

Barring former CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, all the 16 members of the PB, including general secretary Prakash Karat, veteran leader Jyoti Basu, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and his Kerala and Tripura counterparts V S Achutanandan and Manik Sarkar, would attend the meeting.

The PB meeting would be followed by a three-day Central committee meeting from tomorrow.

UNI