Showdown with Cong on economy imminent: Left

New Delhi, Jun 26: Emboldened by the DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's missive to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Left opposition to disinvestment could not be "ignored", the Left parties today warned that a showdown was imminent with the Congress on the one hand and the Left, supported by 'UPA allies' on the other.

In its first confrontation with the Centre after assuming power in Tamil Nadu, the DMK has decided to oppose the Manmohan Singh government's move to disinvest 10 per cent in the public sector Neyeli Lignite Corporation( NLC). The DMK will join the Left parties and the trade unions in their indefinite strike at the plant premises from July 4.

Talking to UNI, the supporting parties- the CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP said the Congress was politically getting isolated in the wake of the opposition of the TDP in Andhra Pradesh on the price rise, the SP and JD(U) on foreign policy, the DMK and PMK on reported move to privatise the Konkan Railway and the cabinet decision to disinvest the Nelco and Nevyeli PSUs. The Congress also annoyed the Janata Dal( S) by ' humiliating' the party during local bodies polls.

Seven major central trade unions including the BMS have already given a call for a day's strike in Orissa and observance of an All India protest day on July 7 against government's anti-people economic polcies. They would also hold the" solidarity day" on July five with the Orissa workers.

CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said," the Congress has yet to learn the dharma of coalition politics," adding that this is why the Congress was losing its allies in several states mainly in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

The CPI leaders warned that the Congress was inviting confrontation with the Left by constantly violating the CMP and ignoring the Left concerns.

Mr Bardhan announced yesterday that his party would have no truck with the Congress in assembly polls in Punjab early next year.

CPI(M) senior leader and polit bureau member M K Pandhe said " anti- Manmohan Singh government resentment is building as it is not prepared to discard the discredited economic policies pursued during the NDA regime. During the last two years, it has rather gone ahead with the privatisation and disinvestment spree ignoring the workers interests." Listing recent steep hike in prices of petrol and diesel, skyrocketing general price rise, disinvesting the BALCO, the proposal to disinvest 10 per cent equity in NALCO and NLC among other anti-people decisions, the CPi(M) veteran who is also the CITU president, said alongwith the BMS. Congress affilated INTUC would also participate in the countrywide campaign against the government's economic policies.

He described as " a very positive development" the decisions of the TDP and the Janata Dal (U) to join the Left struggle against the government decision to privatise as many as 35 metro airports.

Mr Pandhe said as the people were getting "disillusioned" with the government policies relating to economy and foreign affairs," the realignment of poltical forces is taking place albeit slowly." Besides" internal bickering" within the Congress over economic and foreign policy matters was another factor giving weightage to the impending showdown. The veteran CPI(M) leader said the NCP had also recently ditched the Congress on the issue of Rahul Bajaj Rajya Sabha contest.

Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan said better understanding was developing between the Left and the UPA allies as the latter was now realising that the Congress was pushing the Left and them towards" confrontation" on issues that concerned the people and the nation as a whole.

RSP Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Abani Roy maintained that there was no other option for the supporting parties and the allies than to build mass movements and struggles on people's issues.

UNI