Don't vacate space to saffron, Left warns Congress

New Delhi, Dec 17: Left parties today sounded excited over Congress MPs singing a different tune from the government on India's growth story, saying this alone can ensure that the oldest party did not vacate space to the saffron.

The Left parties also enjoined the UPA government to take their cirticism on economic and labour policies in their stride.

The Left, however, termed a '' minor force'' the coming together of the SP, TDP and the AIDMK and foresaw no immediate emergence of a Third Front.

In separate interviews to UNI, the Left leaders said their apprehension was about how to get space in their favour even as their support base and influence on the national political scene had increased manifold during the UPA regime.

On the reported feeling in the Congress that the big growth story with the economy lacking 9 per cent plus, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said it was good that the debate of this kind had begun.

''It is true that a major chunk in the Congress now feels that most people, including those who go to polling booths to cast their votes, are unhappy with its economic and labour policies,'' he added.

Mr Bardhan, a veteran Communist and freedom fighter, said though the Congress had done a commendable job by launching the National Rural Employment Scheme and Right to Information Act and now the Tribal Rights Bill, it should have also taken stern steps to contain the price rise and brought legislation to benefit the 370 million unorganised workers, among other things.

On the debate within the Congress, CPI(M) senior elder and Polit Bureau member M K Pandhe said Finance Minister Chidambram was all out to favour certain industrialists at the cost of the people of the country.

Mr Pandhe, however, emphasised that the Left anxiety was that the isolation of the Congress should help the Left and not the BJP.

'' If the Congress does not behave and chooses to bypass the CMP, our relations with it will get further strained,'' the CPI(M) leader warned.

National Secretary D Raja said the real barometer of the quality of life of the people was not refected in 9 or 10 per cent GDP or the booming Sensex but the hardships and sufferings of the peasantry, suicides by them, the burgeoning unemployment and the increasing number of the displaced people.

On the coming together of the TDP, SP and AIDMK, Mr Raja wanted to know about the purpose, while adding they wanted to stitch a hodge-podge arrangement for the sake of elections.'' Furthermore, it is well known that SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and TDP chief Chanderababu Naidu are the two most opportunist leaders,'' the CPI leader added.

On the Congress ''losing'' space, CPI(M) deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Salim Mohammad said ever since the UPA government came into being, the BJP was making all efforts to destablise the Congress-led coalition at the Centre on emotive issues.

''While the BJP has nothing concrete to offer to the countrymen, we criticise the government on the basis of its policies and programmes and its performance. The half-term of the government simply shows that the government is not strong enough and that it is not functioning that effectively and properly.'' CPI National Council Secretary and Lok Sabha MP S Sudhakar Reddy said the Congress should not show impatience and intolerance of the left criticism and should rather take it in its stride.

''The Left has to criticise the government when it does not deliver. The Left is there to provide checks and balances.'' Stating that definitely some discontent within the Congress over the government's economic policies was brewing, Mr Reddy observed that the growing economic divide, the miserable condition of the BPL families and the rising inflation were some of the major factors for the same.

''The Manmohan Singh government must bring in legislation on 33 per cent women's reservation besides containing the rising inflation, among other things,'' he added.

UNI