Chandigarh: Describing the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls as "crucial", CPI today said there was a need to defeat BJP in the forthcoming polls and also emphasized on the "reunification of the communist movement" in the wake of assembly polls due in several states next year.
The top brass of Communist Party of India (CPI) whose National Council meeting began here today would hold discussion on party's strategy for upcoming Bihar polls, review of campaign against Land Acquisition Bill, political and economic developments in the country, among other matters.
"We have to fight elections this year and in September or October most likely, we have elections in Bihar. In this national council, we are going to discuss what should be our electoral tactical line in Bihar.
"It is going to be crucial elections. We think there is a need to defeat BJP and at the same time there is a need to strengthen Left and ensure effective presence of Left in the assembly," CPI, National Secretary D Raja said.
The leader said that the meeting will also throw light on the "bigger political situation, alignment and realignment of political forces in Bihar".
Asserting that Left has to emerge as a force to reckon with at national level, Raja said only Left could provide "pro people" alternative.
He said that several states like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam will go to polls next year and then UP and Punjab in 2017.
"We have to fight these elections. Because in a country like ours, Left alone will be able to build proper mass movement and lead political course towards a genuine alternative, the 'pro people alternative' whether it is economic policies, social policy, foreign or cultural policy," Raja said.
The CPI leader also underscored the need for reunification of communist movement.
"We strongly believe that the active contribution of Left matters. For which we need to strength Left. Right now we are working on strengthening the unity of left and communist movement. It is the consistent position of CPI and we have been addressing other communist movements and left parties about the need for strong Left," he said.
The CPI National Secretary said that earlier, there was national level coordination among four Left parties-CPI, CPM, RSP and Forward Block.
To a query on involving young faces to rejuvenate the party, Raja said that CPI was consistently making efforts to involve youth in the party fold in order to deepen its presence.
Several senior CPI leaders including A B Bardhan, Gurudas Dasgupta, party's general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy are taking part in the national council meeting.
