CHANDIGARH: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Punjab has decided to project a third alternative in alliance with the Communist Party of India, Janata Dal and other secular forces and personalities to defeat the Congress and communal forces in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. The decision was taken at the two-day meeting of its state commilice.
Its slate secretary, Mangat Ram Pasta, while releasing the proceedings of the meeting here last week, said the state committee also decided to undertake joint mobilization of the people for resolving the state’s long pending political issues and working for its economic and industrial development.
The state committee expressed deep concern over the virtual polarization in the state administration because of the sharp factional fight going on in the Punjab Congress. Pasla said what was most unfortunate was the fact that this factional fight was not even remotely connected with the issues of the common people but was an expression Of the disgusting race for loaves and fishes.
The party strongly condemned the “dangerous stance” of the Akali Dal (Badal) in aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party simply to grab power. Such a bankrupt approach was bound to further widen the communal divide in the state thereby harming the interests of the Punjabi people and national unity. Pasla said it was a matter of relief that the Akali rank and file and the common Sikhs were perturbed over this alliance.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 3, 1996
