Rope in like-minded parties for Third front: Bardhan to CPI(M)

Coimbatore, Mar 29 (UNI) Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary A B Bardhan today appealed to the CPI(M) to hold parleys with like-minded parties, drawing them into common struggles for forging a third alternative to the Congress and the BJP at the National level.

Delivering the special address at the inaugural function of the six-day 19th CPI(M) National Congress here, Mr Bardhan said the existence of the democratically elected Marxist governments in three states, their repeated success in elections and the presence of a strong Left in Parliament showed the relevance and the strength of Left parties in the Indian politics.

The latest victory in Tripura showed the increasing confidence reposed by the people on the Left parties, he added.

Coming down heavily on the BJP, he said the Left would take all steps to prevent communal forces from coming to power by holding aloft the banner of ''anti-communalism'' and secular unity.

Observing that the BJP was waiting in the wings to cash in on the failures of the UPA Government in a bid to return to power, Mr Bardhan described the BJP as a ''right reactionary communal party'', which had gone back to its old Hindutva Agenda.

''It has seized upon the Sethu project and has painted a communal colour to it. The BJP is instigating communal disharmony and wants to repeat Gujarat incident in other states'', Mr Bardhan charged.

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