Thrust on strategy to defeat BJP, Left parties to present policy alternative

Electoral tactics would be worked out to mobilise all anti-BJP votes; the struggles by various sections of the people affected by the policies of the NDA government would be intensified to unseat the BJP from power, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said.

Inaugurating a national seminar on ‘Challenges posed by fascist forces and India today’, organised by the CPI as part of its 23rd Party Congress here on Friday, Mr. Yechury said it was not an electoral alliance with the Congress but thrust would be on a strategy to defeat the BJP in the elections. It was not the ‘neta’ but ‘neeti’ (policy) that matters. The draft resolution to be presented at the CPI(M) 22nd Party Congress has already said that priority was for defeating the BJP and both communist parties were committed to presenting a new policy alternative.

For amelioration of the downtrodden lot

The CPI(M), the CPI and other parties would present policy alternatives to ameliorate the living conditions of those who were facing exploitation under the present dispensation, he said.

When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demitted office, 1% of the population wielded 49% of the country’s wealth and now the wealth under their control has gone up to 73%. The fascist forces led by the RSS and the BJP were systematically trying to undermine the Constitution and other important pillars such as Parliament and Censor Board to have their way. The rights of the people were being curtailed and the electoral system has been challenged. Never before had the judiciary complained of intervention from political authority. Permanent jobs were at stake. All this pointed to a direct attack on civil liberties, he said.

CPI national secretariat member D. Raja called for a broad platform to defeat the BJP. Congress leader K. Muraleedharan said the time had come to end the blind Congress and Communist hatred and all forces should come together to defeat the BJP.