Critical of the Modi Government for following the policies and decisions of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday asked “whether this was the change” that was promised to the people by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s expensive campaign that had the backing of the corporate media.
Briefing mediapersons here at the meeting of the CPI’s National Council, party general secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy sought to remind the government that the people had voted for change and not a continuation of the same “anti-people” policies of the UPA.
On the poll results — in which the Left parties, including the CPI, received a severe drubbing — Mr. Reddy pointed out that the entire campaign was “manipulated and financed” by the corporate sector to install a more pro-corporate government.
“While the corporate sector liberally financed and manipulated the media in favour of their candidate, it also became obvious that the corporate sector also targeted the Left parties to isolate and marginalise them. For this purpose, the regional parties were liberally financed.”
Flagging the fact that the BJP secured only 31 per cent of the vote but got 60 per cent of the seats, Mr. Reddy said the CPI would mobilise opinion for electoral reforms so that the country switches from the first-past-the-post system to some form of proportional representation.
