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SharePrakash Karat, general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is fighting the biggest political battle of his life -- to stop the Congress as well as the BJP from forming the next government. He spoke to DNA about his party's strategy to put a Third Front government in place and the possibility of the CPI(M) joining it. Excerpts:
Why is there talk of a Third Front government again after the failure of the previous two non-Congress, non-BJP governments (in 1989 and 1996)?
There is an objective need for it today. Both the BJP and the Congress have proved to be no different from each other in terms of policies, except that the BJP also has a communal agenda. We feel that there is discontent among people. Therefore, the Third Front has become a viable alternative. We have been working on this with other like-minded parties for the past six months and have arrived at an understanding for a common strategy.
Can you spell out this strategy?
The BSP had made it clear to us when we started discussions after the July trust vote that it would fight on its own, but that it would be a part of the non-Congress, non-BJP camp. We decided to gather other like-minded parties and have an electoral understanding to defeat the Congress and the BJP. These are parallel forces that will come together after the elections to form a non-Congress, non-BJP government. This understanding was worked out by October last year.
Will Mayawati be the Third Front's prime ministerial candidate?
We have already stated that a decision on the PM will be taken after the results come in.
Given the ideological disparities between the parties that are present and potential partners in this endeavour, how will the Left resolve the differences keeping in mind its own agenda?
The Left has much more in common with these regional parties than with the Congress. We have worked with the TDP [Telugu Desam Party] for 14 years and had an electoral adjustment with the AIADMK [All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] twice in the past. We all believe in federalism. We want the states to have more powers, we want Centre-state relations restructured, and we want to create a more decentralised system.
Regional parties are also more alive to people's issues. We will work out a common minimum programme based on these common threads. We may have some differences, but that is natural in a coalition.
Is there a possibility of the CPI(M) joining a Third Front government?
It is our party's stated decision to review the situation after every Lok Sabha election. We shall take an appropriate decision at that time. There is no hard and fast rule that we will or won't participate in the government.
Are you saying the Left could join the government?
I'm not ruling it out. It's a tactical decision, to be decided after the polls.
Will the CPI(M) support a Congress-led government?
The question doesn't arise. We are working to defeat the Congress. Our aim is to form a non-Congress, non-BJP government. We will do everything to make that possible. I can't think of any other situation right now.
