NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India is not averse to the Left parties sharing power with the National Front if it gets a majority in the Lok Sabha. The national council of the CPI which concluded its three-day session has endorsed this view.

Briefing the press on the deliberations of the meeting on Friday the party general secretary Mr Indrajit Gupta said the party felt that this time the political objectives be to establish a coalition government of the Left-NF alliance at the Centre with a minimum programme. He was hopeful that other constituents of the Left Front would agree to this Suggestion.

Mr Gupta said the other objectives were to defeat the BJP and the Congress-I and to increase the representation of Left forces in the Lok Sabha.

The communique issued at the end of the three-day meeting observed that the perspective of such a coalition government alone could revive the shattered confidence of the people and give them hope. Observing that a period of acute political instability had set in the communique said “the experiment of a minority government supported from outside by one or other party with no common programme has been tried twice in 15 months and failed both times. There is no public confidence left in such a formula apart from the fact that the administrative machinery gets virtually paralyzed by it urgent issues of then people’s livelihood and the nation’s economy and security are sidelined and finally. a huge expenditure has to be incurred for holding mid-term elections”. :

Mr Gupta made it clear that it was his party’s opinion and on the basis of this communique his party would hold discussions with the National Front and other constituents of the Left Front to work out a general strategy. He said his party felt that under the present situation the Left parties should despite certain difficulties should participate in the Monique also observed “much depends on strengthening good relations and close cooperation of the CPI and the CPI (M) The CPI will spare no effort to reach agreement with the Left parties on all question of electoral strategy and tactics alliance and seat adjustments”

As the communique put it “if the coming general elections people will be looking for a third alternative between the BJP and the Congress (I) for a broad coalition left and democratic forces which can provide the country with a stable government based on majority in the Lok Sabha”.

Mr Gupta said there was some thinking amongst the BJP and the Congress-I that they would get their own majority but “we feel that both these alternatives are not going to solve the problem. And going by their present strength the BJP has a big gap to fill to get a majority. We don’t think they can manage that also the issues they raised last time are not likely to be valid now. The Congress-I will do worse than last time because their present stock is very low”.

The party felt that the BJP had to be fought and contained

Article extracted from this publication >> March 29, 1991