Non-Congress, non-BJP secular combination will get majority: Sitaram Yechury

Kolkata, 4th May - The non-Congress, non-BJP secular combination will get majority in the Loksabha and they will not need any support from outside, CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury asserted today. He was addressing a Meet the Press programme in Kolkata this morning. Answering questions on post –poll scenario Yechury said that the Left was fighting a political battle right now to pave the way for an alternative government at the centre. Other necessary decision will be taken only after the elections.

Yechury said, the need of the hour is a shift in policy direction for the interest of the people. Neo liberal policies and the worldwide economic recession have created havoc for the common people. This is bound to intensify. Congress and BJP have been proven followers of the neo-liberal agenda. Only an alternative government can reorient these policies.
Mentioning the widening distance between ‘shining India’ and ‘suffering India’ Yechury said, greater state intervention and bigger public investment is necessary to cope with the crisis. However BJP was for withdrawal of state as reflected in forming a ministry of disinvestment in NDA regime while Congress follows the motto of ‘government has no business in business’. Even the meager stimulus package of UPA government was virtually a bailout package for the corporates.
On the oft-repeated question of ‘future PM’, Yechury said, in 1996, United Front was formed after the elections and a Prime Minster was selected. In 1998, NDA was formed after the elections and a PM was selected. In 2004,UPA was formed after the elections and a PM was selected. Even Manmohan Singh himself had no idea that he would become the Prime Minster. The same thing will be there in this election. The third force will sit together and select their leader. Yechury said, in the parliamentary system as practiced in our country, the people are sovereign. Projecting PM before an election is in fact an insult to the people and the constitution.
On Congress charge that the Left is helping BJP by dividing the secular votes, Yechury reminded Congress that it was their withdrawal of support to UF government in 1998, which paved the way for BJP to come to power. On the other hand the Left parties supported Congress in 2004 despite the fact that most of their 61 MPs won the elections fighting against Congress. No one can dare challenge the Left’s commitment to secularism.
On Prime Minister’s recent overtures towards the Left, Yechury said, it is a clear admission of their defeat in elections.

Sitaram Yechury said that it was very important to strengthen the Left component in Indian politics. He said there are two trends of Left in India - the Communists and the socialists who evolved from the ideas and work of Acharya Narendra Dev, Jaiprakash Narain, Rammonohar Lohia and others. This trend should regroup them to widen the Left component in Indian politics.