Left leaders explore tie-ups

CPM made it clear there is no need for any third front at this point

Alarmed by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s move to forge an alliance of regional parties under the banner of federal front, the Left leaders swung into action on Friday. Senior CPM leader Sitaram Yechury met Sharad Yadav and CPI stalwart A B Bardhan met Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Both leaders are believed to have explored the possibility of a programme-based understanding against the Congress and the BJP. Though the Left has made it clear that there is no need of any third front at this moment, it does not seem to be averse to the idea of making some sort of an alliance based on the principle of secularism and an opposition to liberal economic policies.

Both Yechury and Yadav did not divulge the agenda of their meeting. However, sources said the discussion centred around Mamata Banerjee’s move to launch a federal front.

The CPM’s West Bengal unit has ridiculed the effort and challenged Banerjee to forge such an alliance. Yechury is believed to have put the same views before the JD-U chief.
In his meeting with Mulayam Singh, Bardhan is said to have reiterated the Left view that people should be mobilised against liberal economic policies of the government and the communal course of the BJP.

Bardhan had earlier said the federal front was not credible and it could hardly work, because only a few chief ministers have come together.

He said that people wanted a government whose policies were opposed to the “anti-people policies” being pursued by the UPA government.

“These policies have also the support of the BJP which is now set on a communal course with the elevation of Narendra Modi,” he said.

“Only a non-Congress, non-BJP coalition, which pursues credible alternative policies on people's issues and which steers the country on a Left and democratic course is the need of the hour,” said Bardhan.

“Such a programme-based coalition government can emerge through struggles and may be after the polls. Only such a front can provide a viable alternative to the present dispensation,” he asserted. He claimed that the Left parties were working for it.