Claiming that both Congress and BJP would not be able to form government at the centre after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, CPI on Sunday said efforts were on to forge a new combination of Left and democratic forces, including regional parties, to provide a viable alternative.
“While Congress will be unable to retain power at the centre due to people’s anger, BJP will fail to form government due to its inability to win required number of seats,” CPI National Secretary A.B. Bardhan told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
Optimistic about formation of a non-Congress and non-BJP combination, the veteran Communist leader said efforts for formation of a pre-poll alliance between Left and regional parties like BJD, JD(U) and AIADMK should be stepped up.
Noting that many regional parties are not sharing power at the Centre, Mr. Bardhan said since they are anti-Congress and anti-BJP, the Left parties should try for state-specific understandings or alliances with these outfits.
Mr. Bardhan, who met BJD chief and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik this morning and held preliminary discussion on Lok Sabha polls, said Left parties like CPI and CPI(M) should also try to increase their numbers and strength.
The recent assembly election in Delhi, where Aam Aadmi Party won 28 of the 70 seats, showed that people are searching for an alternative and steps must be taken to provide a viable option before them, Bardhan, who was here to attend CPI’s Odisha state council meeting, said.
He said an anti-Congress feeling has gripped the minds of the voters who have concluded that maximum volume of corruption had taken place during its rule. “People are also angry over poor performance of the UPA government in view of economic crisis and inflation,” the CPI veteran said.
“It is clear that power will slip out of Congress’ hand in next elections and it will be an uphill task for the national party to win 110 Lok Sabha seats,” Mr. Bardhan claimed.
