Imphal, March 25 2009: Pulling up their sleeves to steam roll all opponents in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, National general secretary of the CPI, AB Bardhan today inaugurated the election campaign of its candidate in the Inner seat Dr M Nara Singh.

Dr Nara has been projected as the common candidate of the newly formed Left and Democratic Co-ordination Committee consisting of the AIFB, CPI, CPI (M), JD (S) and RSP.

Formally launching the election campaign of Dr Nara at the ground of Rising Athletic Union at Lairik Yengbam Leikai today, Bardhan proclaimed that if Dr Nara is elected, the Left would support him in the demand to revoke the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur.

Addressing party workers and supporters, Bardhan said that even today Irom Sharmila Chanu is on a fast unto death agitation demanding the revocation of AFSPA.

The Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission had also recommended the repeal of the Act, he said and added that despite this the Government is still to lift the controversial Act, he maintained.

The issues besetting Manipur can only be resolved through a political dialogue and not by use of force or security personnel or Acts like AFSPA, he observed.

Recalling that the Congress led UPA Government was installed with the support of 61 Left MPs, Bardhan said that it was due to the pressure of the Left that the UPA Government took up measures to better the lot of 18 crore Dalits, 15 crore minority Muslims and 8 crore Tribal people.

Again it was due to the Left that Delhi enacted the RTI Act as well as the Minimum Wages Act, claimed Bardhan.

Parliament also passed the Forest Act so as to enable the tribals to keep the products of their land as well as the NREGA under the influence of the Left parties, he claimed.

The Left lent outside support to the UPA Government because the wish of the people is governance, he said and added that the Congress could send only 146 MPs to Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha.

Stating that the time has come for a third alternative in which the Left parties will play a prominent role, Bardhan said that the BJP sacrificed National interest to please the whims of the USA.

Earlier in the day a confident, Bardhan said that the CPI candidate can race home in the election with the formation of the common front during a meeting with State CPI leaders at a hotel here today.

The people are fed up of the anti-people policies pursued by the NDA and the UPA Government at the Centre, said Bardhan and added that the Left parties are keen to find an alternative to the NDA and the UPA.

The time has come to replace the Congress led Government at the Centre by a non-BJP coalition, said Bardhan.

On the continued imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the State, the CPI leader said that the Act has led to more problems instead of addressing the core issues.

The UPA Government has been using the Army and the Assam Rifles to combat insurgency and this has led to a sense of alienation amongst the youth.

Taking further pot shots at the Government in Delhi, the veteran CPI leader said that even though the peace talk between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India has completed ten years no tangible results can be seen.

Bardhan categorically added that the peace talk should not compromise with the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Comment