CPI to chalk out strategy for coming Assembly, LS polls

New Delhi, Jan 17 (UNI) The top leadership of the Communist Party of India (CPI), which began its three-day deliberations in Chennai today, will chalk out the party's electoral strategy for the coming Assembly polls this year and the Lok Sabha polls early next year.

The 125-member party national council will also decide how the party would deal with the UPA and other secular and democratic political groupings.

Talking to UNI from Chennai, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said the party National Congress would also finalise the Political Resolution for the 20th Party Congress in Hyderabad beginning on March 23.

Mr Gurudas Dasgupta, Mr S Sudhakar Reddy, Mr D Raja, Mr C K Chidarappan and Ms Amarjeet Kaur are among the other prominent leaders attending the national council which would also work out ways and means to build a third alternative based on people's issue and mass struggle.

Mr Bardhan, the veteran communist and the party general secretary, said the council will also discuss how grapple with the threat posed by communal forces, which he said forced the Left parties to support the UPA governmwent at the Centre. ''But it is unfortunate that the Congress is continuously losing its political space which can be seen from the party's recent electoral defeat in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh,'' he said, adding that the Left had to work out a better combination which could play an effective role in the given political scenario.

Mr Faizi, the party national secretary, said the leadership would also discuss forging alliances or seat adjustments with other secular and democratic forces for the coming state Assembly polls.

''The national council will give final shape to this electoral strategy,'' he added.

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