The Punjab State Committee of the Party has identified four parliamentary seats -- Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Jalandhar (R) for contesting in the next parliament elections and has chalked out a comprehensive programme of mass contact and propagation of the 10-point alternative policy platform adopted at the Left parties Convention held in Delhi.
The State Committee reviewed the political situation in the state at its two-day meeting which concluded on September 5 and observed that the common people, industiral workers, agricultural workers, small and middle peasants and other urban poor are reeling under intolerable conditions of sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, mounting unemployment, rampant corruption and deteriorating law & order. It noted that there is great anguish and resentment amongst the masses against Congress-led UPA government and Akali-BJP government in Punjab.
The State Committee also expressed deep concern over the worsening financial crisis in the state due to which Badal government is not in a position to pay salaries to its employees in time. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister are hoodwinking the people by denying the fiscal crisis and announcing concessions and new projects one after another. The State Committee demanded that the Chief Minister should cut unnecessary and wasteful expenditure on appointing an army of Chief Parliamentary Secretaries, prune top-heavy administration and cancel the decision to purchase helicopters and luxury cars etc.
The State Committee expressed sympathy with the peasants whose crops have been damaged in the floods along the banks of rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. It has demanded that Punjab government should immediately assess the loss and give adequate relief and compensation to the flood victims.