Discussions in CPM meet centered around Congress alliance

The discussions at the ongoing CPM party congress in Kerala seem to be centered around an alliance with Congress.

While the Kerala unit reportedly raised strong objections against the alliance, the party general secretary clarified the party's position on the approach toward Congress.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who on Wednesday stressed the need for an alliance against the BJP and asked Congress to clarify its position, said on Thursday that he did not mention that Congress should be either a part of the alliance or not.

He told reporters that he had only stressed the need for a broader and maximum alliance of all secular parties against the BJP. The Congress should clarify why the leaders from the party were joining the Congress.

During the discussion of the draft political resolution presented in the party, Congress leaders from Kerala were reported to have taken a stand that the CPM should not seek an alliance with Congress.

Instead, efforts to strengthen alliances with the regional parties need to be taken. The stiff opposition raised by the Congress in Kerala against the CPM government was the key reason for the CPM leaders from Kerala to take a tough stand against the alliance with Congress at the national level.

Resolution against fuel price hike

The party congress being held in the Kannur district also adopted a resolution against the frequent fuel price hike. The party demanded the government increase taxes on the rich, impose controls, and reduce the retail prices of petroleum products. The privatisation of public sector undertakings in the petroleum sector should be stopped, CPM demanded.