CPI leaders discuss political situation

New Delhi, Jun 18: The CPI leadership today (June 18) began deliberations on the fallout of the serious electoral setback suffered by the Left in the recent assembly elections in West Bengal and in other states.

The National Council of the party, which has termed the poll outcome in West Bengal as a "serious political setback", discussed a report on the post-poll political situation placed by Deputy General Secretary Sudhakar Reddy on the first day of the two-day meeting here, party sources said.

CPI National Secretary D Raja tabled a report on the activities of the party and its mass organisations in the past few months and the plan for the coming days.

Preliminary discussions would be held on the way forward in five other states which would go to polls later this year or early 2012, they said.

The meeting would also deliberate on issues like corruption scandals, the controversy over the Lokpal Bill, price rise, food security, unemployment and land acquisition.

The National Council would take stock of the agitation programmes chalked out by trade unions and other bodies on various issues and plan out the future course of action.

Details of organising the party's 21st Congress in Patna in March next year would also be discussed.

The meeting came in the backdrop of party General Secretary A B Bardhan warning Left leaders to "either change or you are out".

However, he has also made it clear that despite the results, the Left cannot be ignored in national politics as the movement for social change in India cannot go forward without these parties playing a big role.

PTI