Citing the Samajwadi Party's electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday revived the idea of a Third Front, pitching for unity of Left and democratic forces to give the people an alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said the people signalled their desire by defeating the Congress and the BJP in the Uttar Pradesh elections.
“We call for strengthening of the CPI(M) and building unity of Left and democratic forces in the country. It is necessary to have a Left and democratic alternative for the people and we should provide an alternative to the people to the Congress and the BJP,” Mr. Karat told a party rally here.
“The BJP and the Congress governments are corrupt. People have understood that. The Congress has been defeated, so has been the BJP, and the Samajwadi Party has got a tremendous mandate in U.P.,” he said, adding the “CPI(M) wants to strengthen non-Congress, non-BJP forces in the country.”
People's woes
“In the present situation in the country, people are suffering from continuous price rise, massive corruption and shrinking job opportunities,” he charged.
“The UPA-II has for the last three years pursued policies, which are harmful to the people of the country,” Mr. Karat alleged. In the recent Union Budget proposals, there was a big cut in subsidies for fuel and fertilizers, he pointed out.
“This is going to lead to further price rise. Farmers are already facing difficulties to buy fertilizers in view of steep prices. More and more workers are hired on contract basis. Even government departments are hiring contractual employees, thus, they are deprived of all the benefits,” he said.
“As far as corruption is concerned there is no difference between the Congress and the BJP.”
