Prevent Modi's hat-trick in Gujarat polls: Left

New Delhi, Oct 14: Left parties today asked the Congress leadership to lead the anti-BJP forces to take on the Narendra Modi government to halt its hat-trick in the two-phase December Gujarat polls.

The CPI(M), CPI and Forward Bloc impressed upon the Congress to rally the secular forces to meet the combined might of the RSS- VHP-BJP and not fritter its energy on other" contentious issues." They also urged the government to complete its "unfinished" agenda of assurances and commitments enshrined in the CMP-legislations on Women's Reservation, socio-economic upliftment of the minorities by way of implementing the Sachar Comittee Report, providing social security for unorganised sector workers and effective implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

On Gujarat polls, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Shamim Faizi said the Left had repeately been impressing upon the Congress to lead the secular parties to take on the ''communal forces'' in Gujarat." For that the Congress should not repeat the blunder of playing' soft Hindutva.'' They said it should take a clear-cut secular policy and try to have seat adjustments with all the democratic forces." But do not admit those rebel BJP leaders who still swear by Hindutva. They will tarnish your image." They asked the Congress to let the BJP rebels form their group or a party." This will be more damaging for the saffron party." Forward Bloc General Secretary and MP Debvrat Biswas said it is very important for the secular forces ''to defeat the BJP in Gujarat so as to prevent its comeback on the national political scene." CPI(M) senior leaders M K Pandhe and Mohammad Salim said as the immediate priority,the government should make a move to rein in the price rise by strictly enforcing the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act, reviving and expanding the Public Distribution System ( PDS).

Stating that the CMP swore by an inclusive growth, Mr Salim said the government had yet to make much more concerted efforts to ensure that the poor and the marginalised also had access to proper health care and basic education.

Besides, the CMP had also committed to upgrade people's technical skills and easy access to markets for the farmers." The Bharat Nirman and the Prevention of Communal Violence Act should also be implemented effectively." The Left leaders assertions came in the backdrop of Congress chief and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh firmly ruling out the possibility of mid-term polls and their keenness to implement the government programmes till May 2009 when the next Lok Sabha elections are due.

UNI