Reelected general secretary, Yechury says ‘big battle ahead’
LOOKING AHEAD Amid debate over political tieups, he says a united CPI(M) has emerged and is determined to change India’s destiny
HYDERABAD:THE Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Sunday unanimously re-elected Sitaram Yechury the general secretary for another three years, putting up a show of unity after a bitter debate over political tie-ups.
The 65-year-old Yechury pledged to work for the ouster of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 Lok Sabha election to guard the “secular democratic foundations” of India. “We had a momentous congress. The message which will go out is that the united CPI(M) has emerged stronger, and is determined to change the destiny of India,” Yechury said in his address to the 22nd party congress that concluded Sunday.
Yechury might have gone into the party’s biggest gathering a little uncertain over his future but not only did he keep his position, he also got his way on keeping the option of an understanding with the Congress party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha election.
In his 10-minute acceptance speech, Yechury used the words “unity” and “united” 12 times to drive home the point that the bitter wrangling with his predecessor, Prakash Karat, over political line was now in the past. His message perhaps was also aimed at a section that tried to prop up former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar as his alternative.
Defeating the “BJP-RSS government” was the main task and “there is a big battle ahead”, said Yechury, whose election was approved by the Left party’s newly-elected 95-member central committee. “We are declaring to the country and to the whole world that we will not allow secular democratic foundations of India to be torn asunder by these communal forces and India shall remain united,” he said.
Vijoo Krishnan, Mariam Dhawale and Sujan Chakraborty were among the 20 new central committee entrants, giving the top executive panel a younger look. A seat has been kept vacant for a woman candidate. The central committee also elected a 17-member politburo. CITU general secretary Tapan Sen and CPI(M) central committee member Nilotpal Basu were two new entrants. Ashok Dhawale, the brain behind the farmers ‘Long March’ in Maharashtra, was tipped to be in politburo but a section of leaders was opposed to expanding the party’s policymaking body.
Re-election of Yechury, who enjoys a good equation with leaders across parties, will allow the CPI(M) to explore the possibility of a broad coalition with the Congress and other opposition outfits.
But critics are not too hopeful about his ability to turnaround the party, which has only 11 members in the Lok Sabha and has seen its political space shrink rapidly. “I don’t think this new leadership would be able to revive the CPI(M). Yechury is part of the problem as he protected leaders and stalled efforts of rectification,” former party member Prasenjit Bose said.
First thoughts after reelection.
This is a big responsibility that has to be discharged. I will try to do that to the best of my ability. This was the congress of unity and the congress of determination. The determination to defeat the attack mounted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
What will be your electoral strategy?
We have decided that at the time of elections, appropriate tactics will be used to maximise the polling of anti-bjp votes in accordance with our political line.
Why did you mention the word unity 12 times in your speech?
We have to always give the message
Your message to Congress party?
My message is to the people of India and everybody; we have to ensure this government is ousted. My message to the working and struggling people is that intensify your struggle and we shall be there. My message is not to any one party, area or group. HYDERABAD: With further financial support from the Centre becoming uncertain following the break-up in the TDP-BJP alliance, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has decided to tap into all possible resources to mobilise funds for his dream project of giving capital Amaravati a concrete shape before the 2019 general elections.
Going by the pace of work, Naidu had been facing an uphill task to showcase progress due to the paucity of funds. But with financial agencies such as Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco) and World Bank sanctioning funds, besides commercial banks agreeing to loans, the scenario may change soon. During a review meeting recently, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA), which is overseeing the development of Amaravati, put the total cost of capital construction at ~48,115 crore, which might go up to ~58,000 crore in the next 20 years.
The Centre, however, gave only ~1,500 crore in the last three years, while the state sent proposals for another ~1,000 crore for this year. “But not a single rupee was allocated in the Union budget for Amaravati this year,” Naidu said in the meeting. The TDP government has so far mobilised ~16,810 crore through financial agencies and bank loans. While Hudco sanctioned ~1,275 crore in December last year for infrastructure works such as roads, a World Bank loan for ~3,324 crore is expected in a month or two, which will be used for major arterial roads, flood mitigation and to upgrade village infrastructure.
“Commercial banks are providing financial assistance of ₹2,026 crore for the housing projects,” APCRDA commissioner Cherukuri Sridhar said.