Not Cong or BJP, Himachal needs third alternative: Yechury

Shimla: Situation in Himachal Pradesh is rife for emergence of a third political alternative as both the BJP and Congress are involved in “massive corruption” and differ little in policies, CPI(M) MP and Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury today said here. Talking to media-persons he said that “for the first time CPI(M) and CPI are contesting all the 68 seats in alliance with Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP), sending a clear message to the people that this ‘morcha’ is a viable alternative to BJP and Congress.” [caption id=“attachment_510045” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] “The CPI (M) had won the posts of Mayor and deputy Mayor of prestigious Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) in May this year and the same trend would be visible in the Assembly polls,” Yechuri said. The BJP and Congress are indulging in corruption and loot and there was marginal difference in their policies regarding privatisation of insurance sector, FDI in pension fund and other sectors, and the opposition of BJP to multi-brand retail was opportunistic, he said. “It is an irony that Congress was opposing FDI when the NDA was in power and now the BJP is opposing FDI and in fact both the parties have no difference in policy on FDI and BJP’s opposition is opportunistic,” the CPI (M) leader said. Claiming that the so called growth rate was misleading as 52 crorepatis account for 33 percent of the GDP while 80 crore people are surviving on income of Rs 20 per day, Yechuri said the country not only needs change in government but also a major change policy. He said the CPI(M) was opposed to FDI in all sectors except in areas where it increases the production capacity, generates employment and helped upgrading the technology and pointed out that FDI in service sector had harmed people. When asked that whether the CPI(M) would support the motion of TMC, opposing FDI in retail, Yechuri was non committal and said we will see when it comes as “TMC says something and does something else”. PTI