Stressing that its top priority is to keep the communal forces led by the Bharatiya Janata Party away from power, the Communist party of India-Marxist has said the Left will trigger the fall of the fall of the BJP when three states that it rules -- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand -- go to polls in near future.
"Look what's happening in the states where the BJP is in power. They follow the worst form of communal and reactionary economic policies. In Rajasthan, we recently saw a heroic farmers' struggle spearheaded by the Left. In that state alone, there have been 47 incidents of police firing in recent times and 43 people have been killed. These are the
people who talk about Nandigram in West Bengal," party general secretary Prakash Karat said on Thursday, concluding the party's 19th congress in Coimbatore.
In Tamil Nadu, the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have carried out a communal offensive in the Sethu Samudram issue, saying that the Ramar Sethu is in danger, he said.
"The Centre has also not taken the project forward. Along with other democratic forces, we will ensure that the project, which is in the interest of Tamil Nadu and the nation, goes ahead," he said.
Criticising the United Progressive Alliance for its policies, Karat said the government had promised to follow an independent foreign policy when it came to power four years ago.
"But it has embarked on a policy that will help forge a strategic alliance with the United States. The Left has been opposing the nuclear deal and other steps of the government because it is through such agreements that the US is forcing India to change our policies to suit their requirements," he said.
Karat said such policies would end the concept of non-alignment and make India a military ally of the US.
"We must continue to oppose such defence collaboration agreements to ensure that India does not become a junior ally of the United States," Karat said.
Explaining the Left's opposition to the government's anti-people economic policies, Karat said: "These economic policies are not dictated by the interests and requirements of the people. These are decided in Washington. These are decided by the International Monetary Fund. All our economic policies are influenced by the United States, an international financial capital."
Confirming the Left was serious about forming a third alternative, Karat said the CPM had set its sight on the future.
"We have supported this government for four years. We will support it for one more year. But a UPA government supported by the Left is not the future," he said.
Denying that the idea of a third alliance is directed at the Congress, Karat said such a front would consistently be anti-communal. "There is no way the BJP can come to power at the Centre on its own. The formation will isolate the BJP and the communal forces. The third alternative will bar the path of the BJP to try and gather other forces and win power," he said.
Earlier, politburo member Sitaram yechury took a dig at the BJP for putting up Lal Kishenchand Advani as the prime ministerial candidate.
"The BJP is under the illusion that it has already come back to power. Advani believes he is already the prime minister," he said.
He also said that the BJP and its right-wing organisations were targeting the Left, whom they see as a major threat.
"The communal forces have mounted a physical attack on the Left and are attacking our cadre and offices. Just as Hilter failed in the case of Soviet Union and Indira Gandhi failed in India in the past, the BJP will also fail in its attempt to defeat the red flag," Yechury said.
