Those for Third Alternative must have no dealings with BJP: Karat

New Delhi, Jan 20 (UNI) The CPI(M) today made it clear that those seeking to form a Third Alternative should have no links with the BJP and listed its opposition to the new liberal economic policies among other conditions to constitute it.

''We know the Left parties have to take an initiative in this regard and our efforts at the moment are at the discussion level. We have yet to institutionalise it,'' CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat told newspersons here.

Soon after releasing the 55-page Draft Political Resolution for the 19th Party Congress scheduled to be held from March 23 to April 3 at Coimbatore, Mr Karat said the party had the experience of the United Front government in 1996 before it. ''We want a platform in terms of policies and programmes and not mere electoral understanding to fight elections,'' he said.

He added the party had electoral understanding with the DMK in Tamil Nadu, Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and other states and the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar. But it was not the constitution of the Third Alternative as such.

He said some advancement had been made in this regard but it was not on the immediate agenda of the party. '' Let it be materialised on the basis of mass struggle on people's issues.'' He explained, '' If the government goes ahead with a hike in fuel prices, we will launch a people's movement to oppose the same on a wider platform comprising prospective constituents of the Third Alternative.'' In an obvious reference to his recent meetings with Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and others in this regard, Mr Karat said the party was discussing the issue.

When asked to elaborate, he did not divulge details and rather quipped, ''actually it will happen in future only''.

Asked whether it would happen before the next general election, Mr Karat said: ''Don't link up the issue with the general elections.'' UNI KSA HS AS1450