Karat gives nod to CPM-CPI alliance in Punjab

Chandigarh, Oct 10 (UNI) Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat today categorically annouced the party's alliance with the Communist Party of India (CPI) for the coming Punjab Assembly elections.

Mr Karat told newspersons here this evening that he had given his nod to the CPM state unit's resolve to have a truck with CPI to defeat the ruling Congress and the Akali-BJP combine.

It would be after 15 years that both the main left parties would be joining hands to contest election in the state.

The CPI had contested the last assembly polls with the support of the Congress in nine constituencies out of which it had won two seats.

The Punjab units of the CPI and CPI(M) had decided in a joint meeting on Saturday last to jointly fight the state assembly elections in Punjab to consolidate and expand their respective bases and have their representation in the Vidhan Sabha.

The two Left parties would have no alliance or adjustment with the Congress and would expose the ruling party for pursuing the ''anti-people policies'', Mr Karat said.

''We will build the alternative pro-people policies and strive to win meaningful representation in the assembly to effectively legislate and implement the measures to defend interests of the toiling masses and democratic development of the state,'' he said.

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