The Hindu : CPI(M) to work for a third front

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 12, 2003

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CPI(M) to work for a third front

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI DEC. 11 . The Communist Party of India (Marxist) would explore possibilities of a third front in the context of the Congress' failure in the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, the party Politburo member, Prakash Karat, said today.

Talking to reporters at the party's State headquarters, he said the CPI(M) would chalk out on December 15 its tactics for the Parliamentary elections after taking stock of the results of the Assembly polls.

Asked if the Congress defeat had reduced the CPI (M)'s options in fighting for the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies in the Lok Sabha elections, he said the party was yet to work out "concrete electoral tactics." There was a "need to look at matters afresh."

The Congress was not learning from the lessons of the past. The BJP owed its victory to the poor performance of the Congress Governments in the three States. As the economic policies of the Congress were not very different from those of the NDA Government at the Centre, the election results were not an endorsement of the BJP, he said.

The electricity crisis was an important reason for the loss of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and the State followed the Centre's power policy.

The BJP was tom-tomming that it fought the elections on the development plank, but the Hindutva agenda was very much present. The BJP made significant gains in tribal areas of the three States by capitalising on the work done by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its associates. Of the 99 tribal seats, the BJP had won 76.

On the possibility of an alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, he said his party was not for "opportunistic compromises."

Referring to the Bill to amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act to empower the Central and State review committees, he said his party wanted the entire Act repealed. This law, as a whole, was liable to be misused.

On the Sri Lankan situation, he said it was unfortunate that President Chandrika Kumaratunge and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were unable to come to an agreement on carrying forward the peace process. Their differences only helped the LTTE. The CPI(M) was not for a division of the island.

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