India's top two Communist leaders, CPI(M)’s Prakash Karat and CPI’s A B Bardhan, who never tire of singing praises of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and his battles with the US, are heading for Havana for the 80th birthday of the iconic leader. The two are expected to travel separately and will leave to the Cuban capital on August 9.

A top Left leader said Karat and Bardhan will be traveling at the invitation of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), which has made grand plans for the world’s longest serving leader’s birthday. With expenses being a constraint, no other leader from either party will attend the celebrations. Even though the two leaders will be taken care of once they reach Cuba, they have to finance their travel — Karat is expected to reach Havana via London, while Bardhan is expected to go via Paris.

An exclusive meeting with Castro is out of the question, but the leaders are hoping to meet with other top Communist leaders from around the world. Over a thousand guests are expected to attend this Left jamboree. ‘‘We are keen to know what the Latin Americans have to say about us (the Indian Left),’’ said Bardhan.

The timing of the visits could not be more ironical, coming as it does during another Left surge against the government on the Indo-US nuclear issue where the Indian government is being accused of locking itself to US foreign policy.

In a show of solidarity on Cuban National Day today, the Left leaders condemned US imperialism as well as the Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Lashing out at the US double standards in war on terror at a function here, Karat said ‘‘the imperialist super power has been waging terrorism on Cuban soil for decades now.’’

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