SITARAM Yechury, general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has written a reply to the letter from the chief election commissioner, Election Commission of India on March 30, on the issue of Prime Minister’s address to the nation.  A letter dated March 29, 2019 signed by the principal secretary, Election Commission of India, was received by Yechury regarding the complaint he had made of the prime minister’s address to the nation as being violative of the model code of conduct.The ECI has accepted the findings of a Commission constituted by it to examine this issue.

ELECTION campaign for the CPI(M) candidates has gained momentum in both the  seats of Tripura despite the ruling party continuing its terror tactics.  CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and leader of opposition, Manik Sarkar, addressed two public meetings on April 1-2  in Sonamurra and Agartala in support of Sankar Prasad Datta.  Both the meetings were well attended.

ON March 27, Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India drawing his attention to the announcement made by prime minister through an address to the nation on the achievements of Indian scientists. Sitaram has written that the address is a violation of the model code of conduct. He has expressed his utmost displeasure and asked whether the election commission was informed of such an address.

AS will appear in the same issue separately, a delegation comprising of CPI(M) and CPI leadership met the  Election Commission of India on March 25. In their submission to the ECI the Left leaders have reiterated their apprehensions regarding a free and fair election in Tripura which is scheduled to be held in two phases on April 11 and 18. As we go to press the process of scrutiny and withdrawal of nomination papers for the West Tripura parliamentary constituency will be over.

Part I THE five years rule of the BJP government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been an unmitigated disaster for the country and the people.These elections are the most crucial in the history of independent India.  What is at stake is the very future of the secular democratic republic, as enshrined in our Constitution.  The future is at stake, because, the BJP-led NDA government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, promotes the unprecedented sharpening of communal polarisation severely disrupting the harmony of our rich, diverse social fabric.