Left Front to meet at renovated MN memorial; will discuss liquor factory in Palakkad and human-wildlife issues

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Political discussions will intensify tomorrow at the first Left Front meeting, to be held at the renovated CPI headquarters building, MN Memorial in Thycaud. The move to grant permission for a liquor factory in Elappulli, Palakkad, and the government's shortcomings in preventing human-wildlife conflict in border areas will be the main discussions.

It is learnt that CPM State Secretary MV Govindan and CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam communicated yesterday ahead of the meeting. The decision of the CPI Executive Committee meeting was that there should be no relaxation in the stand against the liquor factory in Elappulli. If the CPI reiterates its stand at the Left Front meeting today, the CPM will be the one on the defensive.

When the CPI initially raised objections on the issue, Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh reached the CPI headquarters and explained the situation. It is possible that Minister Rajesh will also be invited to explain the situation in today's LDF meeting. Another constituent party that has submitted a letter of objection on the issue is the RJD. What stand the Kerala Congress (Mani) will take is also important. The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) Anti-Liquor Committee has come out against granting permission to the liquor factory.

Since the Left Democratic Front was formed in 1980, except for a few meetings held at Cliff House when E.K. Nayanar was the Chief Minister, the Left Front has been meeting at the AKG Centre. Since the MN Memorial has been renovated and inaugurated, today's meeting has been shifted there, especially so that all the constituent parties get the opportunity to visit it. The meeting is at 3.30 in the afternoon.