No plan of support withdrawal: Bardhan

CPI, one of the major outside supporters of Congress-led UPA government on Thursday made it clear that there was no plan for withdrawal of support to it over the issue of sharp hike in prices of petro products.

“Withdrawal of support will not help in bringing down prices. The threat of withdrawal of support worked in stalling the nuclear deal because a minority government cannot get the deal through,” CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said at Kolkata.

“The government will suffer not so much for the nuclear deal than for the oil price hike. It will have an impact on the elections,” he said.

Asked if Left parties would continue to bark and not bite, Bardhan shot back "I am talking of people's resentment. Elections are not far off. In Karnataka, Congress lost due to price rise. People never bark nor bite, but they act. But when they act, they act decisively."

Speaking about the fuel price hike, Bardhan said, “We hope after watching popular resentment expressed through bandhs in three Left-ruled states, the government will roll back and withdraw its decision.”

The Left parties would meet on June 23 to discuss the latest political situation.

To a question if Left parties were dithering because of the advent of BJP in Karnataka, Bardhan said, "BJP may come in Karnataka because of various reasons. But the advent of BJP at the Centre will not happen.”