Citing the Samajwadi Party’s electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh, the CPI(M) on Saturday revived the idea of a Third Front, pitching for a unity of Left and democratic forces to give the people another alternative to the Congress and the BJP.
CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said people want alternative to the Congress and the BJP as both of them were defeated in the UP elections.
“We call for strengthening of the CPI(M) and building a 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 government 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 UP,” he said, adding, “The CPI(M) wants to strengthen non-Congress, non-BJP forces in the country.”
“In the present situation in the country, people are suffering from continuous price rise, massive corruption and shrinking job opportunities,” he charged.
The UPA-2 has for last three years pursued policies which are harmful for the people of the country, Mr Karat alleged, adding in the recent Union Budget proposals, there is a big cut in subsidies for fuel and fertilisers. “This is going to lead to further price rise. Farmers are already facing difficulties to buy fertilisers 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,” Mr Karat charged, adding whereas the UPA has become notorious for a series of scams, the record of the BJP is also bad. “The corruption indulged in by the Karnataka government of the BJP is an example,” he said.
“Only CPI(M) and Left parties have a clean record as far as corruption is concerned.”
The CPI(M) consistently fights against both neo-liberal policies and communal forces,” Mr Karat said.