Brinda Karat denies proposal by CPI(M) on merger with CPI

CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat today denied her party had proposed a merger with the CPI.

Karat told reporters here that the merger proposal was neither the official line of CPI-M nor an individual opinion of Sitaram Yechury.

"Whatever Sitaram Yechury said on the subject was in reply to a query at a press meet in Hyderabad," Karat said emphasising that merger was not an issue in the present situation.

She said both parties were now preoccupied with joint action on national issues.

She also rejected the notion that the Left Front had become demoralised after losing power in West Bengal and Kerala and insisted that though the Left Front government had been ousted in West Bengal, the 'Left Front fortress' was still in place.

Over the issue of Lokpall Bill, Karat said her party supports bringing the Prime Minister under the ambit of the bill.

"We agreed with Anna Hazare on this point but there are lots of issues in the bill that need discussion," she said.

She criticised the UPA government for police action on Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila Maidan on May 4, saying the late night action on women and old persons, who had gone there to protest against black money and corruption, was 'unwarranted'.