Third Front to forefront

Where does the CPIM stand on a 8216;Third Alternative8217;, a non-Congress and non-BJP force based on common policies and not merely as an electoral necessity?

Where does the CPIM stand on a 8216;Third Alternative8217;, a non-Congress and non-BJP force based on common policies and not merely as an electoral necessity? In the lead article in People8217;s Democracy, CPIM general secretary Prakash Karat is no longer coy about the formation of such an alternative as he says the situation is ripe for joint actions by parties believing in secularism, pro-people economic policies and anti-imperialism. These, according to him, will lead to the emergence of a common platform and ultimately a third alternative. Till that happens, common electoral tactics and seat adjustments can take place. Karat believes the process of forming a third alternative has begun as the Left and other secular parties have come together on foreign policy, agrarian distress and farmers8217; demands, FDI in retail trade, privatisation of PSEs, and the BJP8217;s communal agenda. But Karat does not call the 8216;National Front8217;8212;recently announced by the Samajwadi Party, TDP, AGP, AIADMK and National Conference8212;as the third alternative.

Such a fine balance

On the recent debate over reservations in educational institutions, the CPIM8217;s view is that the Government was only implementing a law enacted by Parliament8217;s 93rd constitutional amendment, on which there had been 8216;8216;rare unanimity8217;8217; among political parties, and that media attention on the issue was motivated. An editorial in the CPIM weekly points out that due to the inability to provide education for all, the effort had been to provide a balance between quality, quantity and equity. It suggests expansion of state-run educational facilities to provide for quantity and increasing expenditures in infrastructure to provide for quality.

More on EC

Is the EC really interested in controlling poll expenses? Is it fair to discriminate between states? The CPIM weekly raises questions about the Election Commission8217;s conduct of West Bengal polls in an unsigned comment. During the revision of electoral rolls, for instance, the focus was on the number of names that had been struck off8212;the interpretation of the term 8216;8216;ordinary resident8217;8217; led to the disenfranchisement of genuine voters and the 8216;8216;bogie of Bangladeshis8217;8217; was used to strike off names.

The party also hints that the Election Commission is targeting those from the minority community. A statement from AIDWA president Subhashini Ali says the EC had issued notice to Maimoona Ali, wife of CPIM8217;s Lok Sabha MP Hannan Mollah. It talks of 8216;8216;the completely irresponsible behaviour of the Election Commission which has struck thousands of voters belonging to the minority community off electoral rolls8217;8217;.

BSNL cross-connection

Criticising the OneIndia plan by BSNL, Prabir Purkayastha writes it will bring down the revenue base of the company and go on to affect rural consumers. While trying to draw up a profit model for the PSU, he points out that the rationale for the move is to bring down costs of long-distance calls from Rs 2.40 to Rs 1. But slashing long-distance tariff by 58 per cent would affect BSNL adversely. Besides, the lower rates would not generate the volumes necessary to compensate for the drop in revenues. According to his calculations, the drop in incomes of BSNL and MTNL due to lower long-distance revenue and reduction in Access Deficit Charge transfer would be between Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 7,000 crore, and erode their profit base. He says private players have 8216;8216;willingly8217;8217; paid penalties than fulfill their licence terms on installing rural lines. By contrast, 35 per cent of BSNL lines are in rural areas. Purkayastha suggests that to bring in revenues PSUs need to shift the focus of their landline operations to Internet-based services.

Compiled by Ananda Majumdar