'LS polls not a contest between Modi and Rahul'

Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat said that the Lok Sabha polls are not going to be a two-way contest between Narendra Modi versus Rahul Gandhi.

In an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, he has asserted that a third front will provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP.

“The fight was portrayed as one between Modi, the doer, versus an inept Rahul Gandhi. This was an ideal combat for the BJP with all the odds in favour of Modi. However, the falsity of such a staged contest has become apparent in the past few weeks. This is not going to be a contest between two leaders, or two parties, or even two alliances,” Karat said.

“The Congress is, thus, fast losing ground among the people and is faced with an electoral debacle. The popular anger against the Congress is being capitalised on by the BJP.  But the cure offered by Modi is worse than the disease. He champions an aggressive capitalism which will only worsen the plight of the people,” he said.

The CPM leader said efforts to bring together the non-Congress secular opposition parties have drawn attention to this alternative pole in Indian politics. “ The regional parties constitute the bedrock of this emerging alternative. When combined with the Left parties, it acquires the shape of an all-India alternative,” he said.

Asserting that the third front would soon come out with an alternative programme, he said: “The eleven parties have decided to hold a meeting after the current parliament session where they will announce the formation of this alternative. There will be a declaration which will set out the basic framework, the principles and the direction of this alternative.”