02 May 2004	Sunday	11 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

KOLKATA, May 1: Thousands of Indians in the Communist-ruled eastern state of West Bengal marked May Day with a rally Saturday in the centre of Calcutta, chanting slogans and waving red flags.

People came from across West Bengal on chartered buses to attend the rally in the capital of the state ruled by the Left Front, the world's longest serving democratically elected communist government, which has been in power for almost 27 years.

"The May Day rally (in Calcutta) is an expression of solidarity with the working class," said Anil Biswas, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

"The party will continue its struggle against the rise of capitalists."

The Communist party and its allies are expected to again win the bulk of West Bengal's 42 seats in the 545-member parliament in India's staggered national elections that wind up May 10.

Party activists hoisted red flags at street corners and the Communist headquarters in Calcutta were festooned with coloured lights and flowers.

Senior party leaders garlanded a life-size statue of Vladimir Lenin, the leader of Russia's 1917 October Revolution, in Calcutta's business district.

In the national capital, New Delhi, some 250 people marked May Day by protesting the privatisation of state-owned companies and a court ruling banning strikes by government employees.

The group waving red flags and placards was led by men wearing masks of Indian political leaders, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, whose government has carried out an aggressive privatisation drive.

"The BJP government has sold the country to America, which is dictating the economic policies of India," Indian Federation of Trade Unions president Animesh Das said. -AFP