No compromise with Left Front in state election: Sonia

Agartala, Feb 18 (UNI) UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today made it clear that the Congress would not compromise with the Left Front in the coming Tripura election, though the communists support the UPA government at the Centre.

Addressing an election rally in Stable ground here today, Ms Gandhi said she had already told in Kerala the Congress would be fighting against unemployment and under development, as she felt the Left-ruled states were lagging behind due to ''massive corruption and misrule''.

''We sought the support of Left parties just to keep away the communal forces from power. It does not mean that we will go for political compromise in the elections in Left-ruled states,'' Ms Gandhi asserted, adding the Left parties rather supported the UPA to restrain the NDA from coming to power.

Clarifying the alliance with INPT, a tribal-based anti-Left party of Tripura, she said the that Congress never encouraged militancy, but tried to bring them to the mainstream by offering political power because the party was the only party in the country which sacrificed two leaders--Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi--in fighting against terrorism.

''I want to make it clear that we are united on the basis of Common Minimum Programme and in our fight against communalism, but it does not mean that we will give them a walkover in the state election'', Ms Gandhi said.

She has also pointed out that the law and order situation and unemployment were major issues in Tripura despite huge funds from the Centre.

Ms Gandhi promised that if the Congress-INPT-PDS combine came to power in the state, they would do everything to ensure employment and promote growth.

The Congress president arrived here in the morning and addressed the first election rally in northern most town Dharmanagar, bordering Asom and Bangladesh. She later addressed the rally here.

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