IN the ongoing General elections in India, the elections to Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held in the seventh phase on 19 May. CPIML has decided to field candidates in Gurdaspur, Bathinda and Sangrur. Com. Ashiwini Kumar Chalotra will be the party’s candidate from Gurdaspur, Worker’s leader Com. Bhagwant Singh Samaon will be the party’s candidate from Bathinda and peasant leader Com. Gurnam Singh Bheekhi will be the party’s candidate from Sangrur. The party has also decided to support candidates representing democratic, left and organizational voices on select seats. In Patiala, the party has decided to support the current MP from the seat, Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi, Bibi Paramjeet Kaur Khalsa from Khadur Sahib, CPI candidate Com. Hansraj Golden from Firozpur and CPI (M) candidate Com. Raghunath Singh from Shri Anandpur Sahib, to take on the BJP-SAD alliance and the ruling Congress government. The decision on the remaining seats will be taken later. This time a multi-corner fight is expected in Punjab between SAD (Badal)- BJP alliance (SAD on 10 seats and BJP on 3), Congress (all 13 seats), Punjab Democratic Alliance ( an alliance of 6 parties that includes BSP, CPI, RMPI-Pasla and other parties) and other parties like AAP. CPIML has started an intensive campaign in the areas where it is contesting elections. On 29 March 2019, a rally was organized in Mansa raising the slogan of ‘Change policies, change government’. In which more than 3500 farmers, workers, youth including hundreds of women participated. CPIML General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya also undertook a three day tour of the state between 11 to 13 April. He addressed the General body meeting of the party in Mansa (in Bathinda Lok Sabha constituency). He also visited the village of Shaheed Udham Singh and paid tributes to him. Garlanding the statue of Shaheed Udham Singh he said that the British colonial rulers tried to crush the freedom struggle, the people’s unity and their pride through this ruthless and brutal massacre at the Jallianwala Bagh and Shaheed Udham Singh sacrificed his life to keep the flag of our unity and pride flying high. He also visited Amritsar on 13 April, the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala bagh massacre to pay tributes to the martyrs. Later, he met the party leaders and released the party’s manifesto in the state.
CPIML activists have begun organizing meetings and campaigns in the three constituencies, raising the real issues of the people and ensuring that they are not diverted. Issues pertaining specifically to the state are also being raised which include promotion of agriculture, industry, water distribution in the state and others.
