CPI, CPM deny differences on UP electoral alliance

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) Debunking speculation of rift within the Left on electoral alliances in the coming Uttar Pradesh election, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today said efforts were on to bring all Left parties together in one front.

''We will strive to form a broad secular and progressive alliance against communal BJP and against the misrule of Mulayam Singh's government,'' CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan told reporters after a two-day meeting of the party National Executive here.

CPI (M) polit bureau member Sitaram Yechury told UNI that while his party fought the last election in the state with the Mulayam Singh-led Samajwadi Party (SP), it has yet to decide on the strategy this time.

''We will discuss this issue in our central committee meeting on September 24,'' said Mr Yechury.

Mr Bardhan said his party would try to bring all Left parties together in one front.

''Our party has come to the conclusion that the Mulayam Singh government is working in the interests of big business houses and sacrificing the interests of the farmers and common people,'' he said in an apparent reference to the ongoing agitation against the state government's decision to allot land to the Reliance to build a power plant in Dadri.

Mr Bardhan, however, made it clear that his party would work in cooperation with the VP Sing-led Jan Morcha and its allies to form a ''broad alliance'' for the Uttar Pradesh election.

For the other states going to elections early next year, the CPI national executive decided to forge a front with the CPI (M) and other Left parties.

In Punjab, the Left front may fight with the Lokbhalai Party to prevent the Akali-BJP coming back to power taking advantage of the ''total failure'' of the Congress government, Mr Bardhan said.

In Manipur, the CPI will fight the polls on its own while in Uttaranchal, it will form a Left alliance along with other ''democratic'' parties.

The party national executive urged the UPA government to introduce the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament soon.

''The Women's Bill should be brought first and then the government can introduce the Delimitation Bill to redraw the parliamentary constituencies,'' Mr Bardhan said.

The CPI national executive, which welcomed the resumption of India-Pakistan peace process, passed separate resolutions protesting price rise and special economic zones.

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