Page 5 - Cpi (m)

Hold Modi accountable for 'false, unverified allegations': Congress to EC

Congress says the Election Commission 'risks tarnishing its legacy and abandoning its constitutional duty' if it fails to act against the Prime Minister

LS polls: Intense battle in Kannur as Cong, CPI(M), & BJP vie for dominance

The Northern Kerala constituency of Kannur is witnessing an intense battle between the Congress and the CPI(M), while the BJP is focusing on the newly registered young voters to make an impact in the seat. With 39 percent minorities, including Muslims and Christians, the voters often support the CPI(M)-LDF in most of the assembly seats falling under this Parliament constituency in the polls to the legislature, but the Lok Sabha constituency has often swayed towards the Congress-led UDF, hoping to replace the BJP at the Centre. The strong minority vote base is what helped the UDF win the seat as the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is its major partner. The rubber farmers in areas like Irikkur and Peravoor, predominantly Christians, have also been a strong vote bank for the Congress. Hoping to retain the seat this time as well, the Congress has fielded Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief K Sudhakaran here. Considering his candidature in the seat, Sudhakaran had recently ...

ECI warns Tripura BJP candidate for calling CPI(M) party of murderers'

The Election Commission of India has warned BJP candidate Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency, Kriti Devi Debbarman, for violating the model code of conduct by branding the opposition CPI(M) a party of murderers. The CPI(M) on Wednesday lodged a complaint against her with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar in this regard. The video footage of the speech also corroborated that the (BJP) candidate has made the speech against which the complaint was made, said Saju Vaheed, Returning Officer of the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat. Based on the available evidence, it is convinced that the statement was made in violation of the model code of conduct, he said in a statement. Smt Kriti Devi Debbarman is hereby warned to abstain from making such statements in future which violates the MCC. Otherwise, appropriate action will be taken as per the provisions of MCC the returning officer said. Debbarman, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Tripura, is the sister of Pradyot Debbarma, the

Some parties seek LGBT vote as most Indians disapprove of homosexuality

Election manifestos of Congress and CPM promise stronger legal protections for the community

LS polls in Kerala: INDIA bloc allies CPI(M), Cong trade allegations on CAA

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala and the opposition Congress, both part of the INDIA bloc, on Sunday traded allegations against each other on various issues, including the CAA and the recent Kannur blast, as the Lok Sabha poll campaign intensified in the state. Polling will be held in the state on April 26. At an LDF public meeting in Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituency, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated his accusations of Congress being silent on the implementation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and various central government policies that are against the interests of the state. He contended that the Congress never opposed the central government policies that are financially choking the state and obstructing its welfare measures. Vijayan went on to claim that the past experience of the country has been that the Congress's stand was always similar to that of the BJP and, therefore, they cannot be trusted to oppose the saffron party. He further alleged

Lok Sabha elections: CPI(M) manifesto promises super-rich tax, nixing FRBM

CPI (M) said it stands for state governors to be chosen out of a panel of three eminent persons proposed by the chief minister, state funding of elections and banning corporate donations to parties

LS polls: RJD to contest on 26, Cong, Left to field on 14 seats in Bihar

In the seat-sharing formula for the Mahagathbandhan allies, RJD gets key constituencies in Madhubani and Hajipur while Congress to contest from Kishanganj and Muzaffarpur

After Congress, CPI gets Income Tax dept notice for Rs 11-crore dues

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has received a notice from the income-tax department, asking it to pay "dues" of Rs 11 crore for using an old PAN card while filing tax returns during the last few years, sources said on Friday. They said the Left party is consulting its lawyers to challenge the notice of the tax authorities. The sources said the "dues" to be paid to the I-T department include penalties and interest due to authorities for "discrepancies" in the use of an old PAN card by the party. "We are seeking legal assistance and consulting our lawyers," a senior CPI leader told PTI. Earlier, the Congress said it has received I-T notices, asking the party to pay dues of more than Rs 1,823 crore for discrepancies in tax returns filed for previous years. Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale has also claimed that he has received 11 I-T notices in the last 72 hours. The Congress has been alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre is trying to "cripple" the opposition

LS polls: CPI(M) expects turnaround in Bengal after barren outcome in 2019

The CPI(M) is hoping for a turnaround in the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal after a barren outcome in 2019, maintaining that the results will depend on the people being able to freely exercise their franchise. Claiming that the people have seen through the "hollow" promises made by the Trinamool Congress and the BJP, CPI(M) central committee member and candidate from Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency Sujan Chakraborty said that the "red flag" is there when no one else is believed to be trustworthy. "If people can exercise their franchise freely, then there will be a reflection of that in the results," he told PTI. Elections in West Bengal, where poll-related violence has been in the focus for long, will be held in seven phases with the highest number of central security forces. Several companies of central forces were sent to the state by the Election Commission as a confidence-building measure even before the polls were announced. The CPI(M)-led Left Front, which ruled the state for

DMK allots Madurai, Dindigul to CPI(M), Nagapattinam, Tiruppur to CPI

Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Tuesday announced that CPI(M) will contest from Madurai and Dindigul and the CPI from Nagapattinam and Tiruppur constituencies in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The announcement came a month after the ruling party allotted two seats each to the Left parties, who are part of the alliance with Congress and a few other parties. CPI(M) leaders led by State Secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI State Secretary R Mutharasan and others called on Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin at the Dravidian party's headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam' here today and signed formal agreements regarding the seats. The ruling DMK had allotted two seats each to the CPI(M), CPI and VCK and one each to the IUML, KMDK and MDMK. The DMK has earmarked nine seats in Tamil Nadu besides the lone segment in Puducherry to the Congress party. The DMK is set to contest in 21 seats. The KMDK nominee will contest in DMK's rising sun symbol and in effect, the ruling party is set to fight from 22 ou

LS polls: BJP intensifies efforts to overcome electoral dry spell in Kerala

The BJP is intensifying its efforts to break its electoral dry spell in Kerala as the state braces for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. With a concerted focus on outreach, particularly towards the minority Christian community, the party aims to secure a foothold in the southern state. Kerala's demographic landscape, with Muslims and Christians constituting a significant portion of the population, presents a formidable challenge for the BJP, perceived as a pro-Hindu party. However, the party is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to appeal to diverse voter segments. In a strategic move, the BJP has welcomed prominent Christian figures like Anil K Antony, son of Congress stalwart A K Antony, and seasoned Kerala politician P C George, into its fold. Additionally, the party is leveraging Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent visits to Kerala, emphasising developmental agendas tailored to the state's needs. To bolster its electoral prospects, the BJP has strategically fielded two

Unlike 2019, Oppn offers strong alternative to BJP in 2024: Binoy Viswam

As the parties gear up for the Lok Sabha polls, Binoy Viswam, the Kerala state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), has asserted that opposition forces now have the confidence to present the INDIA formation as a compelling alternative to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). This confidence, he notes, was lacking during the 2019 elections. In an interview with PTI, Viswam, who is also a member of the Rajya Sabha, elaborated on the potential of the INDIA formation, which comprises anti-BJP parties. He highlighted the necessity for unity among opposition forces to counter the ruling coalition effectively. However, Viswam criticised the Congress party's move to field Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad constituency, terming it as a "strategic misstep." "During 2019, people demanded an answer to the question of an effective alternative to the BJP, but we had no answer. This time, I am confident that people now have a hope of having an alternative with the INDIA formatio

Lok Sabha polls: Left Front urges Rahul Gandhi to contest from Hindi belt

CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan said if the slogan is to defeat the BJP, Gandhi should contest from the Hindi belt

Lok Sabha polls: It may not be a cakewalk for Rahul, Congress in Kerala

In the run-up to Lok Sabha polls, LDF appears to be better placed than in 2019 and BJP is leaving no stone unturned to emerge as a challenger in the state

Never accepted any electoral bonds funding; always opposed it: CPI(M)

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday said it has not accepted any funding through electoral bonds and it never opened a designated SBI account as required to accept the bonds. "Reports have appeared in some sections of the media that the CPI(M) has received various amounts as contributions through electoral bonds," the CPI(M) said in a statement. "The party wishes to clarify that these reports are false and baseless. The fact is that the CPI(M) has refused to accept electoral bonds on principle. That is why it did not even open a designated State Bank of India account as required by the law to accept electoral bonds," it said. "The CPI(M) had appealed to the Supreme Court against the electoral bonds scheme because of this basic opposition," it added in the statement. In a landmark verdict just months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Supreme Court on Thursday scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and .

Kerala court rejects corruption complaint against CM over sand mining

A Kerala court has rejected a complaint alleging corruption by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and various officials back in 2019 in connection with a government order permitting removal of sand from the Thottappally coastal area in Alappuzha district. Enquiry Commissioner and Special Judge, Kottayam, M Manoj dismissed the complaint saying that prima facie none of the offences, under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC, as alleged against the CM and others in the complaint were disclosed. "The averments in the complaint do not disclose any offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 or under any other law. "The complicity of the respondents in any of the alleged offences are not prima facie made out and disclosed as per the averments in the complaint." the judge said in his order dated February 7. The complaint was moved by the President of the Karimanal Khanana Virudha Ekopana Samithi alleging that atomic mineral sand extracted from Thottappally coastal area in t

ED summons harassment, will not appear: CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac

Senior CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac on Tuesday said he would not be appearing before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a FEMA case, terming the summons issued to him as "pure harassment". The Foreign Exchange Management Act case is linked to a probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF government. Isaac told reporters that he had asked the ED to withdraw the summons issued to him last week. The ED had issued a summons for the 71-year-old politician to depose at the agency office in Kochi on January 22, but he did not appear before it. He was earlier asked to appear before it on January 12 but he had not turned up then also. Isaac today said that he was willing to appear before the agency and give an explanation if the ED can point out what law has been violated. "But, I am not going to appear before them so that they can question me and find out if any laws were violated. That amoun

SFI puts up unwelcoming banners against Kerala Guv ahead of his visit

The CPI(M)'s student wing, SFI, erected unwelcoming banners against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at Ponnani in this north Kerala district where he is scheduled to a commemoration programme organised by the Congress party on Wednesday. The Students Federation of India (SFI) placed banners stating -- 'Mister Chancellor you are not welcome here' and 'Mister chancellor this is a place where there are a lot of people whom you called bloody criminals, be careful' -- at various places in Ponnani hours ahead of Khan's arrival to participate in a programme to commemorate late Congress leader P T Mohana Krishnan. Khan had on Tuesday faced a massive protest from various youth outfits affiliated to the ruling Left Democratic Front during his visit to Thodupuzha in Idukki district to participate in a function organised by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti, a traders' body. The hartal in Idukki district was called by the LDF in protest against his non-assent to the Kerala Government Lan

ED summons former Kerala minister Thomas Isaac in KIIFB masala bonds case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned senior Kerala CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac for questioning in a FEMA case linked to probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF government, official sources said Sunday. The 71-year-old politician has been asked to depose at the agency office in Kochi on January 12, they said. The central agency in December had informed the Kerala High Court that it has withdrawn the summons issued to Isaac. The submissions were made during hearing of a plea by Isaac and a KIIFB official alleging that only personal information was sought through the summons by ED and seeking quashing of the same. In view of the agency withdrawing the summons, the HC disposed of the petitions but at the same time, the court also said the ED was free to continue with its investigation in the matter. ED sources said the fresh summons to Isaac has been issued in light of the HC allowing the agen

CPI(M) demands withdrawal of mandatory linkages to Aadhar-based payments

The first violation of the law by the central government is to divide job card holders into eligible and non-eligible for ABPS, the CPI(M) said