The Prakash Karat-Mayawati honeymoon is over. The proposed alliance of anti-nuclear political parties has fallen apart
NEW DELHI:The Prakash Karat-Mayawati honeymoon is over. The proposed alliance of anti-nuclear political parties has fallen apart and the CPI(M) has now decided to campaign not only against the UPA’s “anti-people” policies, but also the BSP government’s “pro-capitalist” policies.
The decision was taken at the state committee meeting presided over by general secretary Karat in Lucknow on Thursday.
The CPI(M) plans an agitation against the BSP government accusing it of being pro-capitalist and compromising the interests of farmers. “Privatisation has become the order of the day in Uttar Pradesh and whosoever raises his voice against the wrongdoings of the government is subjected to the most cruel treatment,” CPI(M) state secretary SP Kashyap said, citing the recent police action against farmers in Noida as an instance.
What perhaps was the last nail in the coffin was Mayawati’s refusal even to lend her party’s signature to a joint statement issued here on Friday by the CPI(M), Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc to “observe September 25 (the day the prime minister will be in the US to finalise the nuclear deal) as a protest day”.
Left sources, however, said “issued- based” cooperation with BSP was possible and that the BSP may launch a separate anti-UPA campaign on that day.
The joint statement said the parties would organise protests across the country on September 25 against “this surrender to the United States”.
“On the same day Members of Parliament belonging to all our parties will be holding a mass dharna on the premises of the Parliament House against the gross contempt and violation of parliamentary democracy,” it said.
After the public camaraderie in the run-up to the trust vote on July 22, Karat had the next day announced a joint campaign against the nuclear deal and other “anti-people policies” of the UPA government.
But within days the bonhomie gave way to rancour. Much to Karat’s consternation, Mayawati ditched RLD leader Ajit Singh and refused to give even a single seat to the Left parties in Uttar Pradesh.
To cap it all, the BSP is planning to contest several seats in Red citadels in West Bengal and Kerala, leaving the comrades worried about their dalit base falling prey to Maya’s caste politics in these states.
Asked about the Third Front, a close aide of Mayawati recently told a group of journalists in Delhi that “just four langoors [monkeys] sitting and raising hands would not result in any front”.
k_benedict@dnaindia.net
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