Congress unwilling to control inflation, suffer debacle: Left

New Delhi, Apr 8 (UNI) In a veiled threat to the UPA government, the Left parties today asked the Congress-led coalition at the Centre to have a fresh look on its economic policies, which they said had alienated it from the man in the street and the middle classes, and also asked it not to test its ''patience'' further.

The top leaders of the CPI and CPI(M) said it is in the interest of the ruling Congress itself to contain the price rise and inflation, which they said mainly accounted for its debacle in Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls and earlier in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Mumbai municipal elections.

Talking to UNI, CPI general secretary A B Bardhan and CPI Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury observed that the trend of the BJP gaining back the support of the urban voters was a worrisome development and they would also have to introspect on how long the left parties would continue to become the victims of the people's anger because of their support to the Congress led UPA government.

Mr Bardhan said, the results of the elections in two states Punjab and Uttarakhand and now in MCD here had shown that the urban voters are again turning to the BJP.

''But this is by default, not that they like BJP but because they are annoyed and disillusioned by the Congress, particularly because of the price rise.'' He said it is a fact that the skyrocketting price rise had not only hit the poor but also the lower and middle class families.

''Mr Bardhan, the veteran freedom fighter said it was still unfortunate that the Congress, has not only proved incapable of handling price rise and containing inflation, they also don't seem willing to do so.'' Every step to control inflation and price rise had been ignored by the UPA government, he said.

Meanwhile wondering on how hundreds of crores of rupees on scam had occurred despite a ban on the import of pulses, ''Now you look how a farce probe is being conducted in the scam to probe the scam.

According to us a probe should be ordered against the commerce minister himself who is solely repoonsible for it'', he said.

Mr Bardhan said it was still unforunate that the Congress, which was increasingly losing its credibility was not ready to learn lessons from its recent electoral defeats.

He said as far as the Left is concerned, they did not have much of the influence or the base in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Delhi, ''But on our part we failed to put up a joint fight, which is a matter of concern for us also.'' The Congress must understand how long it could continue to be the victim of people's anger, It is necessary to have an introspection on the issue, he said.

Mr Yechury said it is a warning signal for the UPA government that if it did not review its economic policies, and continue to help the rich section, it would definitely lose its base further among the people.

It is in the interest of the Congress that it looks after the poor, the lower and the middle classes to get back the support, he said.

UNI