Chandigarh: The Punjab units of CPI, CPI(M) and Lok Bhalai party on Sunday forged a "United Front" to jointly contest the forthcoming State Assembly elections.

Announcing their decision at a joint press conference here, Balwant Singh of CPI(M), Jagroop Singh of CPI and Lok Bhalai's Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said the Front would contest on 50-60 seats and would welcome like-minded parties or groups opposed to Congress and SAD-BJP combine.

"We took the decision to jointly contest the elections at a meeting of the three parties held here on October 12. We discussed the prevailing political situation in the State and decided that any of our parties will have no alliance with the Congress and we will work for the defeat of the Akali-BJP," CPI (M) State secretary Balwant Singh said.

Asked about Punjab Congress president Shamsher Singh Dullo's indication that his party may have truck with the Left for the polls, Balwant Singh and CPI's State secretary Jagroop Singh ruled out any such possibility.

Asked if their decision to contest the polls by opposing the Congress in Punjab would divide the "secular votes", the CPI(M) leader tried to evade a direct reply and added "the policies pursued by Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress regime have only strengthened the hands of communal forces".

Lok Bhalai President and former Union Minister Ramoowalia said they had identified some challenges before the people of Punjab like corruption, unemployment, problems faced by the peasantry and issues pertaining to employees among other problems which they would work to redress.

Jagroop Singh claimed there was a sizeable segment of the State's population which does not go and vote.

"From the feedback which we have got, this segment like majority of the population has got fed up with the Congress and the Akalis. They are looking for a change and we are promising a viable alternative," he said.

Balwant Singh said the two Left parties Central Secretariat meetings were held and it was a carefully thought out decision not to enter into any alliance with the Congress in Punjab. "Why should we be part of a sinking ship," the CPM leader said.

"We also want to ask Amarinder Singh that he has been making claims that his party will have no alliance with us. Has any of our parties or any leader approached him showing our keenness. He is only misleading the people," he alleged. Balwant, Jagroop and Ramoowalia alleged that Congress and Akalis had done nothing for the people of Punjab.

They said that while neighbouring States like Himachal Pradesh enjoyed tax holidays, the State's industry was in ruins, with workers not even being paid minimum wages.

"The suicides of farmers have increased. Health and education is in a bad shape and corruption is rampant," they alleged.

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