60 years of independence, the people of India have suffused life into the democratic system by exercising their right to elect representatives to parliament. Yet, the aspirations of the people remain unfulfilled. The rich, urban and rural, have reaped the benefits of “development”, while the vast majority has sunk further and further into poverty and hunger. These elections are being held at a time of unprecedented global economic crisis. The jobs and livelihood of millions of Indians are at stake. Economic progress and the social well being of the people face uncertain prospects. Legislations such as the Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Forest Tribal Bill were adopted only due to the continuous pressure of the Left. We constantly demanded increased allocations in agriculture, education and health in keeping with the promises in the CMP; it demanded measures to curb the communal forces and strengthen the secular principles; it emphasized the pursuit of an independent foreign policy. Our manifesto says: