CPI for Third Front after LS polls

CALCUTTA, June 8: The Communist Party of India CPI on Tuesday strongly pleaded in favor of shaping a Third Front as the sole alternativ...

CALCUTTA, June 8: The Communist Party of India CPI on Tuesday strongly pleaded in favor of shaping a Third Front as the sole alternative to the two-party system 8220;sought to be perpetuated by two bourgeoise parties 8212; Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party8221; in the country8217;s political scenario.

Briefing newsmen at the party headquarter, Bhupesh Bhavan, at the end of the three-day CPI National Council meet, party general secretary A B Bardhan called on all Left, secular and democratic forces to strive for the Third Front. 8220;Even if such a Front is not forthcoming before the polls, the possibility can be explored after the elections by uniting such forces to prevent return of the BJP and its allies to power,8221; he said.

Bardhan touched upon four parameters in the context of the complex pre-poll political situation and said it was imperative that Left parties try to revive the Third Front at a State-level, increase its representation in the Lok Sabha and ensure success of the secular, democratic forces.

Reiterating CPI8217;s decision not to have any electoral alliance or Front with the Congress at the national-level, he, however, added that the CPI still differentiated Congress from BJP on the issue of communalism. He also said that his party would not use Sonia Gandhi8217;s foreign origin in its poll campaign, which he described as a 8220;non-issue8221;.

Asked about CPI8217;s inclination to align with Sharad Pawar8217;s Nationalist Congress Party NCP, Bardhan said much depended on that party8217;s June 10 convention in Mumbai on its policy regarding BJP and other issues. 8220;I presume Pawar will be against BJP and we will wait for his announcement of his party8217;s policies and programmes,8221; he said.

He said that the CPI National Council had taken note of the developments in the Congress following the expulsion of Pawar, P A Sangma and Tariq Anwar and dismissed Congress8217; claim on bouncing back to power on its own.

8220;CPI feels that the National Democratic Alliance of BJP is just a camouflage to hoodwink new-found allies like the DMK and the common manifesto is a manipulation to deceive people,8221; Bardhan said.