17 Left parties meet to strengthen unity against "communalism"

The Left parties today held a meeting to strengthen their unity in a bid to counter what they alleged was a "rise of communalism" in the country and in West Bengal.
The meeting was held between the 10 constituents of the Left Front in West Bengal, led by the CPI-M, and seven other Left parties SUCI(C), CPI(ML), CPI(ML) liberation, CPI(ML) (Santosh Rana), CRLI, PDS and another Left group.
"In the wake of the rise of communalism in the country and the state, we feel there is a need to forge a greater Left unity against communalism of all kinds," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said.

Bose said that in the second week of November the Left parties would hold a convention against the "rise of communalism in the state".
ICPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat yesterday said efforts were on to bring major Left parties and groups together to strengthen Left unity.