CPI(M), party politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan was re-elected unanimously as its Kerala unit secretary by the state conference. Vijayan’s name to the key party post was proposed by Achuthanandan himself. Delegates who attended the meet also unanimously elected an 84-member state committee, five-member control commission and delegates for the party congress to be held in Kozhikode in April, Vijayan and other leaders told reporters here after the meet ended today. An astute politician and skilled organiser, Vijayan came up in politics as a student and youth activist. Born on March 21, 1944 in the Leftist hotbed Pinarayi in Kannur district, Vijayan has been in the forefront of struggles waged by the party in the last few decades. A man of few words, he was elected to the state assembly five times and proved a hard-hitting speaker and gifted debator when his services were required by the party within and outside the legislature. He resigned from the ministry to take up the party assingment as insisted by one-time mentor Achuthanandan in 1998.Later, addressing a press meet at the conclusion of the delegates’ session, Vijayan said pulling down the Oommen Chandy headed UDF ministry through undemocratic means is not on CPI(M)’s agenda in Kerala, but that the party would step up its campaign against the government’s wrong policies. “We are not going to indulge in parliamentary intrigues to topple the ministry. We had made it quite clear after the assembly elections last year and there is no change in that stand,” he said. He termed as “totally absurd” reports in a section of the media that certain portions in the organizational review report presented to the conference had been ‘frozen’ at the intervention of the politburo on a complaint from senior leader V S Achuthanandan. “The report has been unanimously adopted by the conference. There could be some changes here and there and minor additions and deletions. But no change has been effected to its general direction or dilution of the spirit of the content,” he said. The conference also underscored the need to strengthen the Left unity and extend the party’s support base. (Courtsey: Ganashakti)

It is reported that the government has decided to have joint venture in Defence production including foreign companies by the Defence PSUs.. The government claims that through the joint venture country will be getting upgraded technology and production. The details are yet to be known.

With the present available information, it seems that this is also part pf the neo-liberalisation policy and may not be in the interest of the nation considering the security concerns and other connected matters. If so, it has to be opposed and defeated.

It is reported in the media that Pranab Mukherjee, while addressing the conference of state ministers on ‘Targeted Public Distribution and Storage’ is stated to have said ” When I think of the enormity of the subsidies to be provided, I lose my sleep, there is no doubt.”

Really! It is an important issue to give subsidies for providing food to the poor people. It is the duty of the government also. But the government is lacking in providing the same as it should be. The government should provide much more than what it is doing now. But instead, the FM is telling that he is losing his sleep when he thinks about subsiding the poor.

But what about the subsidies that are given to the rich. As  reported in this blog earlier, the government is subsidising   with more funds the few corporates and rich (Rs. 4.6 lakh crore), much  more than the last majority of the poor (Rs.1.4 lakh crore.)

And Pranab Mukherjee has no sleep lost for subsiding the rich! Only he is losing sleep for providing subsidies to the poor. Really wonderful!