CPI(M) holds crucial state committee meet

Hyderabad, Oct 6 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (Marxist) today began a two-day crucial state Committee meeting to chalk out its strategy for the 2009 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

CPI(M) National General Secretary Prakash Karat and party polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury participated in the brain-storming session to explore the possibility of an alliance with ''like-minded'' parties to isolate the ruling Congress, with which it had fallen out on issues relating to Indo-US nuclear deal and neo-liberal economic policies, party sources said.

Talking to mediapersons, he said while the CPI(M) wanted to evolve a third alternative at the Centre to the ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) and the opposition BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA), the party was exploring the possibility of a strong front against the ruling Congress in the state.

The party Central Committee meeting in Kolkata from October 12 to 14 would take a final decision on electoral understanding.

The party's Andhra Pradesh unit secretary B V Raghavulu briefed the party central leaders about the talks he had with Telangana Rashtra Samiti(TRS) President K Chandrasekara Rao and actor Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party Spokesman P Mitra, the sources said.

The party's aim was to bring together major opposition parties and ensure that the anti-Congress votes did not get split in the next elections, they added.

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