A DELEGATION of the CPI(M) led by the general secretary, Sitaram Yechury met the full body of the Election Commission on March 6, to highlight the grave situation prevailing in Tripura which threatens the conduct of free and fair elections to the 17th Lok Sabha.

LEADERS of the Left parties and the Jana Sena (JSP), and hundreds of farmers who were demanding investment support for tenant farmers under the ‘Annadatha Sukheebhava’ scheme, were arrested on March 2 at Vijayawada. This was done to foil the Chalo Amaravati call given by the Left parties and the JSP.A state convention of tenant farmers was held at the M B Vignana Kendram, Vijayawada on March 2 by the CPI(M) and CPI. N Rangarao, CPI(M) and K V V Prasad, CPI presided over the convention and the main resolution was proposed by V Srinivasa Rao- CPI(M) Central Committee member.

THE ministry of housing and urban affairs (MOHUA) has released first draft of the National Urban Policy Framework (NUPF). The draft summary explains the philosophical outline of the need for drafting such a document. It is considered that this document will become a guide for the future of urban planning in India. The NUPF draft is prepared in a hurried manner to brush aside the outcome of the failure of urban policies of the BJP government.   The new urban policy relies its basis on the 10 basic foundations or ‘philosophical principles’.