Left parties caution UPA Govt against snap poll

New Delhi, Mar 26: Barring the CPI, the Left parties do not rule out the possibility of a snap poll in the wake of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's resignation from the Lok Sabha following the office of profit controversy even as they caution the UPA against even considering any such ''misadventure''.

The euphoria created over the Congress chief's 'renunciation part II' exercise would not go down well with the people, who have been greatly disillusioned with the UPA's 20-month rule at the Centre, the Left leaders told UNI in separate interviews.

While the CPI stressed there was no question of the Congress plunging the nation into a mid-term poll, the CPI(M) said anything could be expected from it and the Forward Bloc and RSP felt the Congress would definitely attempt to encash Ms Gandhi's resiguation fram of the Lok Sabha and the National Advisory Council (NAC).

They also came down heavily on the UPA government's fresh move for full convertibility of the rupee despite their opposition to it on the grounds that Indian economy was not strong enough to cope with the move and that it would help the MNCs only.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said, ''I don't think that the Congress will go in for a snap poll as it has now no organisational base.'' Referring to speculations in a section of the media and the Congress' ''restlessness'' to encash Ms Gandhi's step Mr Bardhan, a veteran Communist and freedom fighter, said, ''all this is wild speculation.'' CPI national Secretary Shamim Faizi elaborated that the euphoria created over Ms Gandhi's 'sacrifice' would not go down well with the Indian masses. ''The Congress knows very well that it cannot have an absolute majority in any mid term poll. Besides, the Congress is not a contending party in the Hindi heartland.'' The CPI leaders said any talk of a mid term poll and the Congress bouncing back was unrealistic.

''The Congress even now is not the contending party. It will remain third or fourth in the reckoning. So, there is no question of a mid term poll. At this juncture if a mid-term poll is held, it does not seem that the congress would improve its tally. So, any gamble for a mid-term poll will recoil on it,'' he said.

UNI