CPI(M) has said it would work to chose a nominee who would garner support of both the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) as well as the ruling UPA.
NEW DELHI: Indicating efforts to rope in the newly-formed grouping of regional parties in the Vice Presidential election, CPI(M) has said it would work to chose a nominee who would garner support of both the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) as well as the ruling UPA.
"At the moment, it is all speculation as we have not reached any conclusion. Many people could fit the bill. But it won't be a Left candidate.
"We are working towards a candidate who will have the support of the UPA and the UNPA," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said when asked about names of probable Vice Presidential nominees being floated.
In an interview to 'Outlook' magazine, he said his party wanted a third alternative which "must have content, policy and programme" and it should not just be limited to being a non-Congress, non-BJP platform.
Upping the ante against the UPA government's policies, Karat said the Left parties would meet soon after the presidential election and "review our relationship with the UPA and discuss our approach to specific government policies that are not working".
His comments came in the backdrop of the CPI(M)'s opposition to withdraw support to the Congress-led coalition on the grounds that it would benefit the BJP. However, the CPI(M) and other Left parties would strongly raise the demand that the government carry out "course correction" on major economic and foreign policy issues.
Replying to questions on the formation of a third alternative, Karat said "we are at present extending support to the UPA. Simultaneously, our party has said that we will work towards creation of a third alternative".
Maintaining that the CPI(M) was in touch with UNPA parties like the Telugu Desam and Samajwadi Party, he said the effort was to talk to like-minded parties, besides those in the Left, to create such a platform to achieve a common understanding and then launch a movement out of which a third alternative could emerge.
"At present, we don't have that alternative -- we are merely in touch with others, discussing how to go about this. There is no time-frame for this.
"Talks are on with certain parties within the UPA and outside it, but this is not linked to the next general elections as we don't want the idea of a third alternative to fall by the wayside," the CPI(M) leader said.
He reiterated that the platform would be created not in terms of a mere electoral alliance but as a common policy platform.
"Our focus is on an alternate policy as we believe both the Congress and the BJP follow a similar economic policy," Karat said.
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