Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Vote for Change : Yechury in AP Campaign trail

Vote for Change

Yechury in Election Campaign Meeting in Kurnool

CPI(M) polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury asked people to vote for change. Sitaram Yechury inaugurated his election campaign tour in Andhra Pradesh by addressing a public meeting and road show in Kurnool on Friday 10th April. Yechury will also address election rallies and meetings at Nalgonda, Khammam, Vijayawada, Santanutala Padu assembly constituencies and Araku parliamentary constituency where CPI(M) is contesting. He will end his tour in Andhra Pradesh by attending the Grand Alliance public meeting at Vishakapatnam on 13th April.

While addressing a public meeting organised in support of CPI(M) candidate, M.A.Gafoor, in Kurnool assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh Yechury told that nation wide people are looking for change. He also said that NDA and UPA are getting weakened day by day. NDA started with more than 30 parties since 1999 ended up with its traditional allies such as Shiva Sena in Maharashtra and Akali Dal in Punjab. He told the gathering that BJP failed not only in attracting the formidable allies but also keeping its own allies together. He pointed out that BJD which is in the company of BJP for the last 11 years is now disserted NDA and joined hands with the Left Parties who are working for Non Congress Alternative Secular Government. He also told that though Lalu Prasad and Paswan are members of UPA, they joined hands with Mulayam in Gangetic belt to defeat the Congress.

He said that the Left parties are working for a policy alternatives. In that effort they are mobilising parties around the certain policy issues such as protecting and expanding public sector, fight against communalism and terrorism, independent foreign policy, social justice. He also said that those parties who are coordinating closely in the election process, will come together after elections and work out an alternative programme basing on which they will form the government. He informed the audience that so far TDP, TRS, AIADMK, BJD came together and some other parties are extending cooperation from out side for the Non Congress Secular Alternative.

He told the gathering that Andhra Pradesh is the vital straw for Congress in centre. He remembered them that 37 seats the Congress and other friendly parties won in the last election became formidable base for Congress to claim power in Delhi. He also told that with a commitment to form an alternative secular government and also to defeat the Congress misrule in Andhra Pradesh CPI(M) joined hands with CPI , TDP and TRS. He reminded that the Congress failed to control the communalism in states where it is in power. Due to this failure, he identified that they lost power to BJP in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab.

Before the public meeting Yechury addressed a press conference and also participated in a road show. Along with Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) candidate for Kurnool assembly constituency and sitting MLA M A Gafoor, Ex Mayor of Kurnool and TDP leader Bangi Anantayya, CPI (M) district secretary T.Shadrak, CPI(M) city secretary K.Prabhakar Reddy, CPI city secretary Nabi Rasool are also participated in the road show.

Instability is not inherent to any Alternative : Sitaram Yechury
Communist Party of India ( Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said that instability is not inherent to any alternative. In his second day of election campaign in Andhra Pradesh, on April 11th, Yechury participated in a road show in Bhoingiri parliamentary constituency. The road show went along Kattangur, Narketpalli, and Nakarikel. Along with Yechury, CPI(M) candidate for Bhoingiri Loksabha seat, Narasimhaiah, CPI(M) candidate for Nakarikel assembly segment, Sarvaiah, MLC CH. Sitaramulu, TDP Nalgonda district president B.Lingaiah Yadava, TRS district president B.Somi Reddy, participated in the road show.
Rebutting the criticism by Prime Minister Manmohan Sing and PM hopeful L.K Advani that the proposed non congress secular alternative is a recipe for instability, Yechury said that the first ever alternative government which came in to existence under the leadership of V.P.Singh was destabilized by BJP and the second chance of establishing an alternative government was thwarted by Congress in the case of Deve Gowda and Gujral. He also said that the instability these governments experienced is due to their dependence on out side support for survival. He hoped that this time, efforts will be made to ensure no dependence on outside support.
About comments of Manmohan Singh and Advani regarding the leader of the secular alternative Yechury said that those who are elected by the people will decide about their leader if the situation arises. He also reminded that in 1977 general election Congress projected Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister but she was defeated by the people. Responding to the questions raised by both the PM and leader of Opposition regarding the leader of the proposed front, Yechury reminded them that it was after elections that parties came together to form United Front and drafted a Common Minimum Programe, and chose a leader. That was the case even with BJP and NDA in 1998 elections and UPA in 2004. In all these cases, the alternative took concrete shape only after the election results were out.
Responding to a criticism by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the proposed third alternative is strengthening the communal forces in the country, Yechury also said that it is the Congress that paved way for BJP to come back in to power in several states including Punjab and Karnataka, thus strengthening the hands of communal forces in the country. He appealed to the voters that it is time to choose a non congress secular alternative which can give boost to the crippling economy due to crisis, and strengthen secular democratic India. He also reminded the voters of Andhra Pradesh that it is AP on whose strength Congress is banking to come back to power in the Center. He felt that
it is imperative to defeat the Congress in Andhra Pradesh to pave way for the non congress secular alternative at the Center.

Nation can be bailed out only with Non Congress Secular Alternative
Yechury in Mahakootami Rally at Vizag

INN

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said that the nation can be bailed out from the current economic crisis on by electing the non congress secular alternative to power at the centre. Addressing a huge public meeting in Steel City Vizag’s industrial area Gajuwaka, Yechury said the various sections of people needs bail out packages instead of industries. In the last leg of his election campaign in Andhra Pradesh Yechury addressed a grand public meeting along with TDP supremo Chandra Babu Naidu, CPI state secretary K. Narayana, CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu and CPI(M) candidate for Gajuwaka assembly constituency and Vishakapatnam Lok Sabha candidate MVVS Murthy on Monday April 13th. Before addressing the Grand Alliance public meeting, leaders addressed various meetings in Araku parliamentary constituency where CPI(M) is contesting with the support of Grand Alliance partners.

He expressed confidence that the people of Andhra Pradesh will elect the Non Congress Secular Alternative forces for state assembly as well as to represent the state in Parliament. After touring the state from Karnataka boarder to Orissa boarder addressing several meetings he expressed this confidence.

He also said that already in the country more than 74 % of people are living with meagre Rs 20 purchasing power. Daily 1000 people are dying due to lack of nutritional food. 78 % of women are facing the problem o anaemia. So far due to crisis the country lost 10 million jobs. Due to slump in exports diamond cutting workers in Gujarat and weavers elsewhere committing suicide. Though the government announced 12 billion dollar package, nothing has been spent out of that so far. He criticised central government for neglecting the severity of the crisis. He urged up on the forthcoming governments to increase the government expenditure to bail out the nation from this serious crisis.

He told that with the non congress secular alternative government at the centre, the Left will pursue the people’s bail out packages. He reminded the Left parties role in forcing the UPA government to desist the reforms of more dangerous nature, which included privatisation of pension funds, increase of FDI in Insurance industry, privatisation of public sector undertakings etc. He assured the people that non congress secular alternative government at the centre will strengthen the hands of Left to take up much more constructive steps from people’s orientation. He also assured that the new government’s policies will not be profit oriented ones.

Visualising the non congress secular alternatives taking shape at state level, he reminded people of the developments in Orissa, AP, Karnataka where non congress secular parties are coming together and the developments in the states such as Tamilnadu, UP, Bihar where several key forces are working for such an alternative. He also told the audience that the country entered in to coalition phase 15 years ago and this election is also going to continue with that phenomena.

Mentioning about the criticism from Congress and BJP about the prime ministerial candidate in the non congress secular alternative, he said that number of well equipped qualified leaders are in this alternative. He also told that they don’t want to disrespect the choice of the people. He reminded that it is the representatives who wins the confidence of the people throughout the country will in turn choose their leader unlike the practice in Congress and BJP.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Vote for Change

Yechury in Election Campaign Meeting in Kurnool

CPI(M) polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury asked people to vote for change. Sitaram Yechury inaugurated his election campaign tour in Andhra Pradesh by addressing a public meeting and road show in Kurnool on Friday 10th April. Yechury will also address election rallies and meetings at Nalgonda, Khammam, Vijayawada, Santanutala Padu assembly constituencies and Araku parliamentary constituency where CPI(M) is contesting. He will end his tour in Andhra Pradesh by attending the Grand Alliance public meeting at Vishakapatnam on 13th April.

While addressing a public meeting organised in support of CPI(M) candidate, M.A.Gafoor, in Kurnool assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh Yechury told that nation wide people are looking for change. He also said that NDA and UPA are getting weakened day by day. NDA started with more than 30 parties since 1999 ended up with its traditional allies such as Shiva Sena in Maharashtra and Akali Dal in Punjab. He told the gathering that BJP failed not only in attracting the formidable allies but also keeping its own allies together. He pointed out that BJD which is in the company of BJP for the last 11 years is now disserted NDA and joined hands with the Left Parties who are working for Non Congress Alternative Secular Government. He also told that though Lalu Prasad and Paswan are members of UPA, they joined hands with Mulayam in Gangetic belt to defeat the Congress.

He said that the Left parties are working for a policy alternatives. In that effort they are mobilising parties around the certain policy issues such as protecting and expanding public sector, fight against communalism and terrorism, independent foreign policy, social justice. He also said that those parties who are coordinating closely in the election process, will come together after elections and work out an alternative programme basing on which they will form the government. He informed the audience that so far TDP, TRS, AIADMK, BJD came together and some other parties are extending cooperation from out side for the Non Congress Secular Alternative.

He told the gathering that Andhra Pradesh is the vital straw for Congress in centre. He remembered them that 37 seats the Congress and other friendly parties won in the last election became formidable base for Congress to claim power in Delhi. He also told that with a commitment to form an alternative secular government and also to defeat the Congress misrule in Andhra Pradesh CPI(M) joined hands with CPI , TDP and TRS. He reminded that the Congress failed to control the communalism in states where it is in power. Due to this failure, he identified that they lost power to BJP in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab.

Before the public meeting Yechury addressed a press conference and also participated in a road show. Along with Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) candidate for Kurnool assembly constituency and sitting MLA M A Gafoor, Ex Mayor of Kurnool and TDP leader Bangi Anantayya, CPI (M) district secretary T.Shadrak, CPI(M) city secretary K.Prabhakar Reddy, CPI city secretary Nabi Rasool are also participated in the road show.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Swift Message from Swing States - UPA won't be the Single Largest Post Election Combination

A Swift Message from Swing States – UPA won't be Single largest combination

K. Veeraiah.

Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were swing states for the Congress in 2004 general elections. Out of 82 seats that both these states contribute to the parliament, almost all except five seats, were bagged by Congress led UPA alliance. This, despite the fact that the UPA at national level emerged after the elections. At the time of elections Congress had entered in to seat adjustments with state level players and like-minded parties in the two states.

In Andhra Pradesh after several rounds of closed door discussions in Delhi and in Hyderabad, Congress high command finally agreed to join hands with Telangana Rashtra Samiti to oust Chandrababu Naidu's 9 years misrule. The important factor that led the then adamant leader of opposition, YSR to join hands with TRS was the fear of losing in case of no alliance. Left parties took a principled stand to oust NDA in Center. Followed by the relentless struggle under the leadership of CPI (M) against TDP's neo liberal economic policies, this principled stand resulted in electoral understanding with Congress in Andhra Pradesh. Thus Grand Alliance against TDP-BJP combine in Andhra Pradesh emerged before 2004 general elections. The same is the case of Tamil Nadu. Left parties joined hands with DMK and Congress joined hands with DMK independently, thus the effective alliances combined with the political situation of these states helped these state level alliances to bag 77 seats in the both states. In the post poll scenario where UPA emerged out of all these state level alliances, this number acted as deciding factor for Congress to take a lead as single largest combination by having upper hand over NDA combination. In this way the state level pre-poll understandings and electoral alliances paved way for post poll coalition governments.

But the general elections of 2009 are witnessing a different scenario in these swing states. Both in Andhra Pradesh and in Tamil Nadu, though the reasons are different, the regional parties TRS and PMK parted ways with Congress led coalition. Both these regional partners hold 13 seats. Apart from that, the Left parties are fighting against the Congress in Andhra Pradesh and the Congress partnered coalition in Tamil Nadu. Both the Left parties have 4 seats. Thus out of 77 seats, the parties capable of winning 17 seats have already walked out from the coalition. The rest 60 seats are distributed between Congress and DMK.

Another important point to take notice of is the fact that in these swing states, the performance of Congress and DMK reached its peak. In Andhra Pradesh Congress never stood in such a strong position commanding almost 30 out of 42 seats on its own. Even in the wave that brought Rajiv Gandhi to power after assassination of the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, Congress in Andhra Pradesh did not gain as much as this. Thus after 1984 general elections TDP emerged as a single largest opposition party other than Congress and the Left. DMK's case in Tamil Nadu is also the same. Though the state is named after the massive shifts in each general election, at no point of time one party benefited so enormously as DMK did in 2004 general elections. In such a situation, in the both the states neither the Congress nor the DMK stand to increase their performance in their tally compared to 2004. According to a in-house estimates of Akbar Road 24, AICC head quarters, Congress is losing 5 to 7 seats from its current strength in Andhra Pradesh. But the ground level information is that it may lose more than 10 from its current strength. Though Congress is contesting in more seats than last time in Tamilnadu, due to PMK's walking out of the alliance, the winnable chances are definitely less for it and it is much more less for DMK. Even if DMK is able to resist the massive shift, the loss will be more than 50 %. Thus it has to shed at least 18-22 seats to the opposition alliance is a minimum. Thus the UPA stands to loose around 30 seats from the swing states. This loss to the UPA can not be compensated from the gains of Kerala and Karnataka, Rajasthan. Thus, the swift message from swing states is simple and clear. Neither Congress is going to retain its position of single largest party nor UPA stands to retain its position as single largest combination to claim power at Indraprastha.