With issues like the Bundelkhand drought, saffronisation of education, unemployment and deteriorating law and order plaguing UP, leaders of six left parties would meet in lucknow on April 27 to thrash out a strategy to launch a massive stir in the state.
"Though the meet would certainly discuss fielding common candidates by left parties in the Assembly polls adopting the Bihar model, but our real concern will be people-related issues,” said State Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI) Dr Girish.
Speaking to 'The Pioneer; in lucknow, Dr Girish said that the state leaders of six left parties - CPI, CPI (M), CPI (Ml), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Socialist Unity Center of India (SUCI) and the Forward Block (FB), will meet next Wednesday to draft a strategy to counter the failures of the Central and UP government.
"Burning issues like drought in Bundelkhand, suicides by farmers, unemployment, law and order dip in UP and and the Centre's bid to saffronise education, would be the main topics. We could also take a decision on launching an stir over these issues. Senior left parties leaders could also join in," he said.
The CPI leader alleged that the BJP was trying to saffronise the education system and unnecessarily raking up issues like chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', cow slaughter and other contentious issues.
"The left parties will oppose these vehemently," he said.
Commenting on the next Assembly polls in UP, Dr Girish said that the left Parties want to end their decade-long 'banvaas' by winning at least one seat this time. This is possible if we contest the next elections unitedly.
"We are not being unrealistic. We are just focussing on ending our two-term absence from Vidhan Sabha. We would like to come out as a united force, and identify the issues on which we would like to connect with the masses. The six left parties will fight from select constituencies so that there is no overlapping. There will be more discussions on this," he said.
Since 2007, the left parties have no presence in the UP Assembly. In the 2002 UP polls, two left party MlAs won - Ram Kripal from Meja seat (now called Kuroan) in Allahabad and Ram Swaroop from Najibabad in Bijnore. Both were from Reserved seats and both were from CPI (M).
In the 2012 Assembly polls, left parties and Janata Dal (Secular) had contested 116 seats. The CPI contested 55 seats, CPI(M) 18 seats, Forward Block 20 seats, RSP eight seats and Janata Dal (Secular) 15 seats but all got drubbed.