CPM to try emerge as third alternative: Yechury

Shimla: CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri today said the people of the country want a “credible third alternative” and his party would strive hard to fill the “political void created by the failure” of UPA and NDA. Addressing a press conference in Shimla, he said victory of CPM in Shimla Municipal Corporation polls was a pointer to the people’s “disillusionment” with both the main parties and CPM would raise public issues like corruption and price rise more vociferously in order to fill the space.[caption id=“attachment_333174” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Sitaram Yechury. PTI”]  [/caption] He alleged the UPA 2 government was “directionless” as there was no CPM to keep a check on “anti people” policies of the government as in the case of UPA-1. During UPA-I, the Common Minimum Programme forced by CPM was “guiding” the government but this time there was no such pressure on the government which has “failed” miserably, Yechury said. “Our strong opposition to bills relating to privatization of banks, LIC, pension fund and FDI in retail business has saved the country during the current global economic crisis and had these bills been passed, the country would have been ruined,” he added. In a lighter vein, Yechury said, “The prime minister considered us as devil when we opposed these bills and now he must give the devil its due.” The CPM polit bureau member said there was no difference in policies of BJP and UPA except for its opposition to FDI in retail and both the parties are following the “neo-liberalisation policy”. PTI