If seat-sharing pact with INDIA bloc fails, CPI plans to contest 15 seats

Ranchi: CPI national secretary Ramkrishna Panda on Sunday stated the party is preparing to fight from 15 seats if a respectable seat-sharing agreement is not reached within the INDIA bloc. Speaking to media after a two-day meeting of his party's state council, Panda emphasized the importance of unity among INDIA bloc partners to prevent the BJP-led alliance from coming to power in the state.He urged larger parties, including Congress and JMM, to take initiative in reaching an agreement with CPI.
"The party would wait till Tuesday for talks with INDIA bloc partners. If there are no initiatives in this regard, we will announce our candidates. We hope to have members in the legislative assembly to raise the people's voice," Panda said. He said the party would focus on issues such as inflation, education, health, employment, and the prevention of corporate exploitation of state resources during the election campaign. The state council meeting, chaired by former state secretary Bhuwaneshwar Mehta, was also attended by CPI general secretary D Raja.