Left Front supports Congress by default in Centre: CM

Jalpaiguri, Dec 17 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said that the Left Front's support to the Congress at the Centre was "by default".

Speaking on the last day of the 21st CPM District Committtee meeting, Mr Bhattacharjee said, ''Despite the fact that Congress is dividing the nation, we will still support them. Otherwise, we will have to strike an alliance with the BJP, which is trying to create a Hindu nation. This will create nothing but communal riots.

''We are supporting the Congress because of lack of options,'' he remarked and claimed that during the Congress rule, the rich is becoming richer and the poor remained where they were.'' Citing the example of China and its development as a communist state, he said, ''Even China has the guts to oppose the US, while we spread our hands to beg before them.'' UNI