CPM politburo meeting begins in backdrop of Bengal violence

Growing political violence in West Bengal ahead of polls is likely to come up for discussion at the two-day meet.

Growing political violence in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly polls is likely to come up for discussion at the two-day politburo meeting of the CPI(M) which began here today.

The crucial meeting was likely to discuss growing political clashes including that at Netai village in Lalgarh where eight persons were killed which has put the Left Front government in a tight situation.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is slated to meet Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on January 19 to discuss the issue. He would also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that day.

Story continues below this ad

The Marxist party has encountered stepped up political activity by main opposition Trinamool Congress,which is making a determined bid to replace the ruling Front.

Election issues in five states,mainly Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala is also likely to come up for discussion in the meeting.

Party sources said that the meeting assumed greater significance in view of the Election Commission’s expression of anguish at the deterioration of law and order and its decision to dispatch a six-member team of observers to monitor the situation in the state.

Last night,CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechuri

charged the Trinamool Congress with conniving with the Maoists

in perpetrating violence in the state.

“We have lost 370 comrades since the last Lok Sabha election in the state in such violence. Those perpetrating violence in the state must be brought to book,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Although no agenda of the meeting was available,the sources said that the strategy and course of action in Parliament on the 2G spectrum issue,when it meets for the Budget Session in February,may figure prominently.

Price rise is another important issue likely to figure in the meeting.

The meeting was attended by all the politburo members including Prakash Karat,Sitaram Yechury,Brinda Karat,Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee,Biman Bose,Nirupam Sen,Md Amin,Manik Sarakar,K Balakrishnan,G S Pillai,M K Pandhe,P Vijayan,Raghabalu and K Varadarajan.