Declare floods in AP, K'taka national calamity: CPM

 
“The politburo criticised the decision to send a delegation of MPs only from the ruling alliance without taking MPs from the Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu.

On such an issue, there should not be any partisan approach,” the party said in a release issued here on Monday. The politburo expressed its deep concern at the devastation caused by the floods in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in which more than 200 people lost their lives.

“It should be declared a national calamity, and a massive effort has to be undertaken for relief and rehabilitation,” it said. The politburo has sharply criticised the Centre’s failure to take effective measures to check the continuous price rise of food items and essential commodities. The politburo heard reports about the holding of state conventions organised by the Left parties against price rise, drought and for food security.

A guideline for the party ministers regarding austerity drive was also cleared by the body to rectify the “wrong trends” which have crept into the party.  With cadres raising complaints about the functioning of the ministers, the politburo has also formulated a guideline, which lists the do’s and don’ts for ministers and those at parliamentary levels.

The guideline is understood to have decided to ask the ministers not to appoint relatives as private staff, and if they do so, they will have to take the permission of the leadership concerned.  The guideline would be part of a rectification document which would be forwarded to the Central Committee for ratification.