By IANS,
Kolkata: Defending his party’s decision to support UPA presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM) politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Saturday said the move was aimed at thwarting the chance of having a communal president.
“We are Communists, an opponent of the Congress. Then why are we supporting their presidential nominee? This question has to be looked in the context of the current political scenario,” said Bhattacharjee, at a party programme in North 24 Parganas district.
“The president must not be a candidate supported by communal forces like the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) or the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). The communal forces supporting (P.A.) Sangma are a political danger and our move is aimed at thwarting that danger,” said the former West Bengal chief minister.
He said supporting a Congress candidate was nothing new for his party as it had done the same earlier in the 1969 presidential poll when it backed Congress’ V.V. Giri.
He however, clarified that his party stand in favour of Mukherjee does not mean it will not oppose the antipeople policies of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
“Supporting Mukherjee does not mean we are in favour of their anti-people policies. Our tirade against the Congress policies will continue in the future,” said Bhattacharjee.
Likening the current global meltdown with that of the great depression of 1929, he said the country needed strong and sound governmental policies to overcome the situation which the current government has been unable to formulate.