'CPM talking to other parties for third front'

CPM general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday said that his party has been holding consultations with strong regional outfits in different states to present a secular non-Congress, non-BJP alternative after the coming general elections.

These parties are the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh, JD-U in Bihar, AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, JD-S in Karnataka and BJD in Odisha.

“We are going to cooperate with other non-Congress and non-BJP parties to present a secular alternative to the people. We are already in consultations with strong regional outfits in different states in this regard,” Karat told reporters here, adding that he had a discussion on the issue with Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday evening.

The CPM general secretary, who was addressing a media conference here, said it was the regional outfits who can stop the BJP, as the Congress was not in a position to do so. “The Congress is going down. We are all working together to ensure that non-Congress and non-BJP secular forces do well in the coming Lok Sabha elections. We are hopeful of providing a concrete alternative to the people after the elections,” he said.

He strongly criticised the Congress and the BJP for their economic policies.

“As far as economic policies are concerned, both the Congress and the BJP are on the same side. Both are competing with each other to come out with policies to help corporate and foreign capitals to make profits in the name of growth,” the CPM general secretary observed.