We are working on third alternative: Yechury

Visakhapatnam, Sep 3 (UNI) CPI (M) Polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury today said his party was trying to form a third alternative which was both 'anti-communal' and against 'anti-people' economic policies.

Addressing a huge public meeting here, Mr Yechury charged the UPA Government at the Centre with deviating from the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).

''Only combined pressure by the Left within Parliament and by people outside can ensure the UPA remained committed to the CMP,'' he asserted.

The CPI (M) leader also claimed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was bowing to pressure from the US which would ''prove suicidal for the nation.'' The party would oppose any move by the Andhra Pradesh Government to acquire tribal lands for bauxite mining project, he added.

Mr Yechury also said whatever had been done successfully in West Bengal in the area of land reforms could certainly be done across the country.

Desite several attempts to stop the CPI (M) from winning the elections for seventh time in the state, the party had romped home to victory because of the support it enjoyed among people.

Earlier, speaking at the meet-the-press programme organised by the Vizag Journalists Union, Mr Yechury said the CPI (M) was opposed to the formation of separate Telangana and remained wedded to the principle of linguistic states.

''We are opposing a separate Telangana state as it will open a Pandora's box as there are 31 similar demands across the country.

It will also be detrimental to the country's unity,'' he said in reply to questions from reporters.

UNI BSR VD KP1951