New Delhi, Aug 27 - The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has resolved to launch an agitation from next month against price rise and the drought-like conditions in several parts of the country and for food security.

A CPI-M statement Thursday said this was decided in a day-long convention on food security held here Wednesday.

Party general secretary Prakash Karat gave a call for a nationwide struggle on the issues of relief measures for drought affected areas, against exorbitant price rise and for food security.

Karat also said that 'while we support in principle a bill (proposed by the government) on food security, the one proposed by the Congress is retrograde.'

Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the party does not accept the present situation of rising prices of essential items and that an end has to be brought to the differences between a 'tadapta Bharat' (suffering India) and 'chamakta Bharat' (shining India).

Inaugurating the convention, Tripura Chief Minister and party's politburo member Manik Sarkar said the food security act proposed by the government in its present form 'will only institutionalize food insecurity' and will further worsen the problem of malnutrition.