CPM, which is contesting elections in alliance with Jana Sena is confident that the alliance will make a difference in the State politics in coming days. Excerpts from an interview with CPM State secretary P Madhu by S Guru Srikanth.
How are you prepared for the elections?
After seat sharing with Jana Sena, there has been an overwhelming response from the public for the Left parties. The reason is there is a strong aversion towards TDP and YSRC.
Left parties have been with Jana Sena since the beginning. However, it has given more seats to BSP, a non-entity in the State. Is it not insulting?
No. The BSP is an old party, which has been championing the cause of Dalits and oppressed sections. They have asked for some seats from the Jana Sena and it has agreed.
It looks like the JSP will be taking up the responsibility of those BSP candidates. During the BJP-TDP regime in both the State and at the Centre, there have been attacks on Dalits such as incidents in Gottipadu of Guntur and Garagaparru of West Godavari.
Educated Dalits have a strong aversion for TDP and YSRC. They are looking at Jana Sena-Left combine and under such circumstances, the BSP coming into picture should be welcomed.
The Jana Sena is being called B-team of the TDP. You have joined hands with TDP at national-level. Is your alliance with JSP an alliance with TDP?
If anyone after seeing the political situation in the State, accuses us of being B-team of TDP or YSRC, we have nothing to say.
The Jana Sena is evolving as a major force and is getting ready to confront TDP and YSRC.
Those who are afraid of Jana Sena’s growth are making such comments for political gains. People will not believe them. Our alliance will make a difference to State politics.
Does it mean Jana Sena alliance with BSP should be seen as playing the Dalit card for getting votes?
It is not wrong.
For example, Akhilesh Yadav is there, his party has more Yadav influence. That does not mean that the party does not need other sections of the community. Even in our State, it is said that among the main political parties, one caste plays an important role in one party while another caste is dominant in another party.
Apart from your criticism of both ruling and Opposition parties of not championing the cause of people, what the Left parties propose to do for the State?
We are opposing forced land acquisition, non-implementation of 42 labour laws, development sans concern for environment and pollution it causes and non-implementation of Coastal Regulation Zones.
What we are promising is to change these and effective implementation of the existing laws. One should understand that we are not against development and industrialisation, but only the indiscriminate way it is being done with scant respect for environment and people.