Situation ripe for Non-Cong, Non-BJP alternative: CPI(M)

Hyderabad, July 5 (UNI) Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury today said the situation was conducive for the emergence of a non-Congress and non-BJP alternative in the country.

Explaining that the Left parties had extended support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) only to keep the ''communal'' BJP out of power, he told a press conference here that the CPI(M) was striving to bring together like-minded non-Congress and non-BJP parties as an alternative to both the UPA and the NDA.

The party was working closely with various like-minded parties, including the Peasants and Workers Party in Maharashtra and Rashtriya Janata Dal, for projecting an alternative to both Congress and BJP.

Even while ruling out any political understanding with the TDP in the present situation, he said the CPI(M) was striving for a real alternative to the UPA and the NDA based on economic policies and ''anti-people'' measures of the UPA Government at the Centre and Congress Government in the State.

Referring to the TDP's stand on the Presidential polls, he said, ''We understand the political compulsions of the TDP for not supporting the Presidential candidates supported either by Congress or the BJP.'' UNI SM VV SYU BD1432