CPI to join hands with TDP in fight against price rise

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26 March, 2008 09:06:00

Signaling new political alignments ahead of elections, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today said that it would join hands with United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) partners, including Telegu Desam Party (TDP), to fight against the price rise and anti-people economic policies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

Hyderabad: Signaling new political alignments ahead of elections, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today said that it would join hands with United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) partners, including Telegu Desam Party (TDP), to fight against the price rise and anti-people economic policies of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Talking to the media person after a breakfast with UNPA Convener and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said, "Our party (CPI) has already decided to launch a militant action against public issues and a similar decision is likely to be taken by CPI(M). UNPA is also thinking in terms of some action. We will cooperate in all this,". Describing Naidu as an "old friend", Bardhan, whose party had contested the 2004 state Assembly elections in alliance with Congress, said: "We had worked together for several years in the United Front days. Now, we are fighting on people's issues. We are planning a very big agitation against price rise." Taking time off from the deliberations at the party's 20th National Congress, the CPI leaders -- Bardhan, D Raja, Gurudas Dasgupta, S Sudhakar Reddy and state secretary Narayana -- met Naidu at his Jubilee Hills residence. The leaders of the two parties discussed the political situation prevailing in the country and the issues over which a common struggle could be planned in future. Later, Naidu said that his party was looking forward to a "long term association" with the Left parties based on issues concerning the common man. Naidu, who has been trying hard to revive ties with the Left parties ever since losing power in 2004 assembly elections, said that the present policy of economic reforms was only leading to widening gulf between the rich and poor. "Our concern is how to take the benefits of reforms to the doorsteps of the poor. Though, the UPA government is saying that it is focusing on inclusive growth, what is happening now is only exclusive growth benefiting millionaires," the TDP leader said. He said that his party had come to a broad understanding with the Left to take up mass agitations on pressing public issues. Asked about the possibility of formation of Third Front as an alternative to Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naidu said, "this question is not before us today. At the time of elections, we will think about alliances." As part of his efforts to woo the Left ahead of elections, Naidu had on March 25 hosted dinner for CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat during which they were said to have discussed about reviving the alliance. After joining hands with Congress in defeating the TDP government in the previous elections, the CPI(M) has moved away from the ruling party and dropped indications of forging an alliance with the regional party in the next polls. (PTI)

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