Don't let BJP win by default, Left warn Congress

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) The Left parties today said the Congress' reckless spree of privatisation, runaway inflation and the selling off the farmers' land to the corporates led to its debacle in Punjab and Uttarakhand.

They warned the Congress against "more such disasters" if it further failed in preventing the division in the secular votes.

The CPI, CPI(M) and Forward Bloc impressed upon the Congress to ensure the unity of the secular forces at the ground level, especially in UP assembly polls and not let the communal forces win by default.

Reacting to the poll outcome in three states, the top Left leaders told UNI that they were satisfied that in Manipur the coalition which created a record of having the first full term government had been supported by the people for political stability.

They said the verdict clearly entrusted the Congress, which was leading the coalition at the Centre, with the responsibility that it should be open to adjustments with others.

On Punjab poll results, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said the Congress should understand that the policy of privatisaton, selling off the land to the private sector, dismantling of the State Electricity Board, the handing over of the health care system to private hands and sweeping inflation had totally alienated the urban voters particularly in the Doaba and the Majha belts.

"This loss of urban support led to disastrous results. Added to it was political arrogance of the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who failed to retain allies in the Left parties," they added.

On Uttrakhand, the CPI leaders said the Tiwari government disregarded the sensibilities of its people, the wastage of public funds on the so-called VIPs and the craze of selling land to educational mafia destroying water and environment in the hill state.

They said if the Congress failed to draw a lesson from these debacles it might further alienate itself not only from the people but the political parties supporting it.

CPI(M) senior leader Mohammad Salim said the Congress should understand that people are asking for an" inclusive growth.

Only growth rate or rise in the index of share market will not help the people to get convinced about India Shining." Mr Salim, the CPI(M) Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said there were, however, certain positive results as far as macro-economic managment was concerned, but the prime concern of India is the better management of the economy at the micro level.

"The results have shown that the Congress should also learn to carry along its own allies not only in the decision making process at the Centre level. It should also learn about building alliances at the state level." Forward Bloc national Secretary G Devrajan said the results clearly showed that the Congress alone is not in a position to lead the people even at the state level." The sooner it understands it is better for it." UNI