Amid the growing chorus of all secular parties forming a front against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday ruled out any possibility of a pre-poll nationwide alternative, but indicated his parties willingness for the state level arrangements with other political parties.
"In Indian conditions, an all India platform or alternative will not emerge. The United Front of 1996 was formed by regional parties after the elections. The UPA in 2004, with Manmohan Singh as the prime minister, was formed after the election, not before. So before the elections, you will have a regional arrangement. That will be sewn together and on that basis, these dangers have to be faced and then defeated," he told reporters on the sidelines of his party's Tamil Nadu State Committee meeting here.
He called upon opposition parties to come together to defeat the four-pronged challenges — growing economic burdens, sharpening communal polarisation, authoritarian attacks on parliamentary democracy and constitutional authorities, and the surrender of India and its interest to the USA's strategic interests — before the country.
Taking a swipe at the Trinamool Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi that attempted to form a Federal Front comprising of regional parties, Yechury wondered what role would the TMC or TRS or Telugu Desam Party have to play in the UP elections.
"In Bihar, RJD plus other forces would play. Understand India as it has got its regional specificity," he said.
Yechury welcomed the Supreme Court order conducting the floor test in Karnataka by a protem speaker and termed it as a positive development. "The floor test, we hope, will be conducted in an orderly fashion and proper test is done," he said.
On the situation of the country, he said that the Karnataka episode once against demonstrated the onslaught against parliamentary democracy and its institution by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
To a query, the Marxist leader said that Karnataka's development would strengthen the objective of ousting the BJP government from the centre. He said that different combination of political parties would emerge in the various state for forging an alternative to the BJP. "This will help in facing the general election to defeat these (communal) forces which we think is absolutely imperative for the country and the people," he said.
When asked whether the CPI (M) would take lead in bringing together all secular parties, he said that no party in the country could take that sort of a role saying that it would unite all the party together. "You will have to in the specific state and specific region have to work out who are the people on basis of whom an alternative policy direction can be given. Those arrangements will be done state wise specifically," he said.
BACKED BY HISTORY
- Citing events in 1996 and 2004, the CPI(M) general secretary said alliance by regional parties can only be formed after election.
- He also took a jibe at the TMC and TRS, which attempted to form a federal front, asking them what their role would be in UP polls.
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