Gennady Zyuganov visits Lenin's hometown

Today is the second day of Gennady Zyuganov's visit to the Ulyanovsk region. The people of Ulyanovsk (Vladimir Lenin’s hometown) gave a hearty welcome to the leader of the Russian communists. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the key figure at the celebration of Lenin’s birthday in Ulyanovsk was Gennady Zyuganov. He laid wreaths on Lenin’s monument and gave a report at the meeting in the Lenin Memorial. There was no room to move in the hall, and people weresitting even on stairs. In his speech, Gennady Zyuganov stressed the idea that the Communist Party of the Russian Federation would have very good successors, because young people were joining the party.

He told journalists that it was too early to estimate the activity of the new administration of the Ulyanovsk region, but the administration could act in a tougher way as far as the regional energy companies are concerned. Zyuganov claimed that “even fascists did not deprive the population of the heating on the occupied territories in winter, but it seems that this has become a common practice for our energy companies.”

Zyuganov did not give an explicit answer to the question if the Communist Party was preparing its own candidacy for the next gubernatorial elections in the Ulyanovsk region. Gennady Zyuganov said that the party “was not deviating from conquering the regions.” Communist’s victories in the Kursk, Nizhni Novgorod, Ivanovo regions say it all. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) will hold a session of its Central Committee in July and determine the strategies and tactics of the party for the elections of 2003-2004.

Speaking about the issue regarding the speaker of the Russian State Duma, the communist leader said that “Seleznyov has a choice.” “If he wants to be a cover up for the president’s and government’s policies, if he forgets that he was elected as a communist, then he will have to face the political slumber, which is what happened to Ivan Rybkin” (the former speaker of the State Duma).

Gennady Zyuganov also gave his opinion regarding the subject of taking Vladimir Lenin’s body out of the Mausoleum (Tomb). Zyuganov said that those people who support this idea are barbarians and instigators: “The Red Square and Lenin’s Tomb are the cultural objects, which are protected by UNESCO.”

After Ulyanovsk, Zyuganov is traveling to the town of Dimitrovgrad, which is the second largest town of the Ulyanovsk region. In Dimitrovgrad, Zyuganov will visit the institute of nuclear reactors and meet with the residents.

Sergey Nikolayev PRAVDA.Ru Ulyanovsk

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov