By IANS
Kottayam (Kerala): Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat Thursday said the forthcoming party congress will decide on the formation of the Third Front as an alternative to India’s two main political parties – the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“A third alternative which is opposed to the policies of the Congress and the BJP has to take place. For this, the CPI-M and the Left front have to be strengthened. The party congress to be held in Coimbatore in March would decide on this,” Karat said.
He was addressing a meeting of the CPI-M workers here at the end of the four-day state party conference.
“I am extremely delighted to say that as compared to the previous Malappuram Conference held in 2004, mass base of our party has increased in Kerala,” Karat said.
He attacked the policies of the Congress-led central government and said the latest fuel price hike would not have taken place had the government decided to reduce the tax on fuel products.
“Likewise the price rise of essential items would not have taken place had the central government done its job. The ration quota for Kerala was cut by the central government and hence the price of rice rose,” said Karat, whose party provides critical support to the United Progressive Alliance government.
He complimented the state party and its leaders for being united contrary to reports of factionalism.
“Vested interests were spreading baseless reports that after the state party conference here, things would go bad in the party. But let me tell you that everything that happened in the four-day meeting took place with total unanimity,” Karat said.