It was in 1982 the 11th Party Congress was held in Vijaywada and this happened to be the first national level conference held in Vijayawada. From the morning itself party carders poured from across the state to the city for the rally. At 2 pm rally started from Municipal corporation office circle and Benz Circle. Com. Sitharam Yechury and Com. B V Raghavulu lead the rally in bullock carts. The rally was been watched by a large section from both sides of the road. 1000 artists from across the state added colour to the rally. The rally converged to a mass meeting at Swaraj Ground at 4 Pm. The meeting was inaugurated by Com. Prakash Karat. Organising Committee president Comrade P Ramayya presided over teh meeting. Com Sitharam Yechury, Com. Budhadeb Bhattacharya, Com Manik Sarkar, Com B V Raghavulu, Com Mallu Swarajyam, Com Tammineni Veerabhadram addressed the meeting.
CPI (M) under ‘attack': Prakash Karat
A “big attack” has been launched on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) because of its fight against the economic policies as well as the “strategic alliance” that the Congress-led UPA government forged with the United States, said CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat.
He said the attack on the CPI (M) and the Left parties was concentrated in West Bengal and the Communist movement in the State. The anti-Left and reactionary forces that want to undo the gains achieved by the working classes of West Bengal had launched a concerted attack on the Left parties.
Mr. Karat said that the CPI (M) has decided to continue its fight against the economic policies of the UPA government because it was the only way to change the lives and living standards of the poor in the country. He said that the only way to ensure food security for every citizen of the country, land for all the landless people and more jobs for all the young and men and women was to fight against the economic policies of the UPA government.
In Andhra Pradesh six lakh acres have been taken from farmers and tribals and transferred to big companies, corporate and mining firms, real estate speculators and contractors. Land was being snatched away from the poor and transferred to the rich at very cheap rates, he alleged.
Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said that the economic policies of the UPA government were increasing the disparity between the rich and the poor.
While the number of billionaires had increased to 50, as many as 80 per cent of the people in the country were living on a meagre income of Rs. 20 a day. About the concerted attack on the Left parties, he said that the activists of the communist parties were not afraid of death.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said that his government was able to implement land reforms and employment schemes effectively, but there was more to be done because its resources were limited. Unless the Central government changed its policies, it was difficult to eradicate poverty.