Little has changed since UPA took over: Karat

Special Correspondent

"Two bourgeois combinations monopolise the political space "

NEW DELHI: As the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance Government prepares to celebrate one year of its completion in office, the supporting Communist Party of India (Marxist) is of the view that on the ground, people have yet to experience change.

"The class character of the Congress and the performance of the UPA Government which pursues policies of liberalisation are bound to impact the livelihood and living conditions of the people. On the ground, people cannot experience any change - the agrarian distress continues, the crisis of small and traditional industries is getting worse, the repeated increases in prices of petroleum products is heaping additional burden on the people. All this is bound to generate discontent in the coming days," the CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat, said in his article in the latest edition of the party organ, People’s Democracy.

Major features

Recounting the national political-tactical line determined by its recent party congress, he said, the following were other major features of the current situation. Though the Bhartitya Janata Party-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has been defeated, its strength should not be underestimated as it would try to regroup; Congress cannot be relied upon to carry out a consistent struggle against communal and divisive forces; changing stances of regional parties; growth of caste politics; growing American influence in economic, political and foreign policies; and the major role being played by the Left.

Mr. Karat also outlined the tasks before the party - campaign against communal forces; fight for people’s interest and expansion of party’s influence through movements on local, social and economic issues.

He said that the party while working towards strengthening the organisation would also work to build a third alternative. "It is not in the interests of the Left and democratic forces, that two bourgeois combinations, one headed by the BJP and the other by the Congress, monopolise the political space. There is a need for a third alternative’’.

Need for unity

Building such an alternative would require the coming together of the Left and other democratic and secular parties through joint movements and campaigns.