CPI-ML to contest for 23 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar

The CPI-ML will contest 23 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar without any alliance and has announced names of all its candidates, party general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said Friday.

Bhattacharya said the party has started its campaign and would release its election manifesto March 23.

He said the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist bid for left unity among parties, including the CPI and the CPI(Marxist), to contest polls together failed due to seat sharing and other issues.

"The party will highlight price rise, corruption, communalisation, repressive policies and corporate plunder," Bhattacharya said.

In Bihar, the CPI-ML will focus on shortage of electricity, state approved promotion of liquor sales, and poor condition of health and education sector, he said.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) is contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar in alliance with the ruling Janata Dal (United). The CPI has been allotted two seats out of the total 40 seats in the state.

But the CPI(M) is contesting the polls alone for four seats.