Confident of emergence of a third alternative to the Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA, the CPI on Sunday said that the two principal political parties will be defeated in the next general elections.
“While the chances of UPA returning to power appears remote, the infighting within BJP will cost the party dearly,” CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and senior leader A B Bardhan told a media conference.
The BJP’s dream of coming to power at the Centre after the next general elections will be shattered mainly due to internal bickering and infighting for the top post. Besides, the people will reject the party as many of its leaders are also involved in corruption, including the coalgate, they said.
It will be impossible for the Congress-led UPA Government to retain power for a third term because the people of the country are totally fed up with the series of corruption cases coming out almost at regular intervals, rising prices of essential commodities and faulty economic policies, including the latest decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail.
The people are desperately looking for an alternative which will be possible with the Left and democratic forces coming together to provide a programme-based option, Bardhan said. Replying to a query on possible tie-up with parties like BJD, Bardhan said the question of alliance is still far off. Appropriate decision will be taken when time comes, he said.
“If a new alternative has to emerge, people will know about it,” Bardhan added. The Left and other political parties have already started their fight against corruption, price rise and anti-people economic policies of the Government and it needs to be intensified in order to bring a change, they said.
Slamming the UPA Government for allowing FDI-in-retail and hiking prices of diesel and other products, the CPI leaders alleged that the Centre had extended concessions and subsidies of `24 lakh crore to the corporate sector in the past four years while burdening the poor. They demanded immediate rollback of the diesel price hike and FDI-in-retail sector.
Rejecting Kelkar Committee’s recommendation of withdrawal of subsidies on foodgrains, petroleum products and other articles, they said it was totally unacceptable as the poor will be hit hard. If Government is concerned for the poor, it should take steps to bring back the Rs 71 lakh crore black money stashed in Swiss banks, instead of taxing people.
They also strongly opposed the decision on disinvestment in aluminium major Nalco. It is shameful to disinvest the profit-making Navaratna PSU, Reddy said.