UPA and NDA Will Be Defeated in 2014: CPI

New Delhi, Sep 30: Both Congress-led

and BJP-led

would be defeated in the next general elections slated for 2014,

said today and voiced optimism about the emergence of a programme-based alternative of the Left and democratic forces.

"BJP's dream of regaining power will be shattered mainly due to infighting in that party," CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and senior leader A B Bardhan said here.

"Though BJP seems to be presuming that it would come back to power at the Centre in the polls, it must realise that people will reject the party as several of its leaders are embroiled in corruption," they said.

The Congress-led UPA on the other hand would fail miserably to retain power as people are fed up with rampant corruption, faulty economic policies involving permission for FDI in multi-brand retail and sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities, Bardhan said.

Under the circumstances, people are desperately looking for an alternative which would emerge when Left and democratic forces come together to provide a programme-based option, the CPI veterans said.

On CPI's possible tie-up with parties like BJD, Bardhan said "the question of alliance is still far off. When the time comes appropriate decision will be taken.

"It is not just a question of some political parties sitting together and distributing seats. If a new alternative has to emerge, people must know about it. It will not happen through talks across the table but by participation in an intensive struggle," he said.

"The struggle by the Left and other parties besides a wide range of forces has already started against corruption, price rise and the harmful economic policies of the government and it needs to be intensified in order to bring about change."

PTI