"It is the utter bankruptcy of the opposition because it has fielded a candidate who is right through with the RSS, as an independent," Karat said.
BANGALORE: CPI-M politburo member Brinda Karat on Thursday alleged that the fielding by the NDA-led opposition of Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat for the Presidential election as an independent demonstrated its "utter bankruptcy".
"It is the utter bankruptcy of the opposition because it has fielded a candidate who is right through with the RSS, as an independent," Karat said.
The Rajasthan government headed by Shekhawat was dismissed on allegations of indulging in communal issues and even the Supreme Court upheld it, she said.
"This shows the decision of the opposition is independent of political ethics and independent of political honesty," Karat remarked.
She defended the approval given by Left parties to support Congress' Pratibha Patil for the Presidential poll, saying: "The President should be secular and have a proper understanding of constitutional provisions."
Asked about remarks made by Patil on the veil system and a divine premonition, she said: "Such issues should remain in the personal realm and not influence public offices."
On the election for the post of Vice President, she was firm in demanding that the post should go to a candidate from non-Congress parties who are partners of the UPA since they have accepted the Congress nominee.
Asked if her party would stake claim to the post of Vice President, Karat said: "The issue is yet to be discussed at the party level".
Left parties will launch a nationwide campaign to protest against increasing food insecurity among common people and rising suicides by farmers as well as to press for the introduction of the women's reservation bill, Karat said.
In August, the parties will picket all Central government offices on these issues, she said.
"The UPA government appears to be distancing itself from people through these policies. It appears like an echo of the NDA's India Shining campaign, a prisoner of false perception," she said.
Karat said the country needs a third front as an alternative policy platform. But she did not approve of the front set up by eight regional parties, and said: "We do not give much importance to the arithmetic part of it."
She reiterated her party's opposition to the proposed Micro Finance Bill as it would damage the self-help group movement.
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