Act against parties declaring CM candidates before polls: CPM

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Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Jan 20

The CPM has termed the announcement of names of candidates for the heads of governments before their respective elections as unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegal.

‘CPM to contest on 25 seats in state’

CPM chief Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon said the CPM would contest elections on around 25 seats of the state on its own and would not make alliance with any party as none of the parties was contesting the elections on issues of people.

The state body of the party has urged the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to act against parties declaring the name of the chief ministerial candidates for Punjab for which elections are yet to take place. Such parties should be prevented from contesting the elections, demanded the party.

While talking to The Tribune after convening meetings of local party leaders, state CPM chief Sukhwinder Singh Sekhon said he had drawn attention of the CEC towards the undemocratic precedence of declaring the names of government heads before the polling and demanded strict action against parties, including AAP and SAD, which had already declared their chief ministerial candidates.

“As the Constitution does not allow the announcement of a government head before the elections, we will fight for action against all those who are taking such steps,” he said.

He said the CPM would contest elections on around 25 seats of the state on its own and would not make alliance with any party as none of the parties was contesting the elections on issues of people.

“It has proved that this is an ‘issueless’ poll as none of the national or regional parties has talked about rights of people so far,” said Sekhon, citing free education for all, free quality healthcare, employment and minimum unemployment allowance of Rs 6,000 and equal amount of old-age pension as real issues.

Accusing traditional parties of ‘auctioning’ ticket, he alleged that some of the candidates had to shell out up to Rs 6 crore to get ticket of the party of their choice. The CPM also took notice of the election expenditure cap of Rs 40 lakh as it was a huge amount for a genuine citizen aspiring to contest the elections.

On the projection of Bhagwant Mann as the chief ministerial candidate of AAP, Sekhon said the party had handed over the command of its drowning boat in the hands of a person who could not be entrusted a responsible task.

Daring AAP to clear its stand on the issue of Punjab’s waters, he said it (AAP) was the B-team of the RSS.