The Left Parties are in no mood to sail with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with regard to agitation against power tariff hike. Once bitten, twice shy' goes saying.
The 11 Left parties have geared up to launch the agitation if the State Government hiked the power tariff, say CPI State secretary K. Narayana. He, however, was quick to add: The agitation will not be synchronised with the TDP. If other political parties have plans to agitate against the hike in tariff they can do on their own. Morally, only Left parties have right to fight against power tariff hike, he says. The CPI leader, however, was not sure whether the power agitation would take same proportions as in the past and done on a similar scale. “How can we say it now,” he quips. The Left parties synchronised their power agitation with the Congress in 2000 when the TDP was in power. Eventually it was one of the major factors that led to topple the TDP government in 2004.
The CPI secretary was in the city to inaugurate city party's 20 conclave. Speaking to The Hindu , he minced no words in airing his views on various burning issues including separate Telangana.
The Telangana issue has been rocking every political party in the State. “CPI is no exception to it,” he says, “but, we turned the tide by making our stand clear.”
The BJP is trying to champion the cause, but it lost the credibility. The BJP, which went to people with one vote two states, was mum on issue when in power.
The political parties will have to sail in disturbed waters if they don't spell out their stance before 2014 elections wherein the Telangana issue will be crucial factor. We cannot dismiss the impact of YSR Congress Party leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
On liquor syndicate, Mr. Narayana says, “The government policy of looking at the liquor as source of revenue is wrong. The government should sell the liquor through its stores. If it goes for auction of the stores in liquor season –June-July, the CPI will attack the auction places, he adds.
