No poll pact with RJD, LJP till Cong is with them: CPI-ML

Patna, Dec 24: Dismissing speculation of CPI-ML joining hands with a secular alliance led by

in

for Lok Sabha polls, the ultra left party on Tuesday said there was no possibility of any such tie-up and announced to contest 20 seats alone.

"We cannot think of being part of any alliance directly or indirectly with anybody who has relationship with Congress," CPI-ML General Secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya told reporters here.

Since RJD was having partnership with Congress at national level as well in state, there was no question of any alliance with it or joining a front of secular parties led by it for 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, he said.

Asked if CPI-ML could think of forging ties with RJD and LJP if their alliance with Congress did not materialise, Bhattacharya said, "Though there is no chance of it, we may think if it so happens."

Speculation about poll pact between RJD and CPI-ML cropped up after Lalu Prasad praised Bhattacharya for standing by him while he was sent to jail in a fodder scam case.

Though it has no elected representatives at present either at national or state level, CPI-ML enjoys considerable amount of support in central Bihar districts.

The CPI-ML General Secretary said that a meeting of his party state executive committee had decided to contest 20 seats in Bihar in 2014. On the rest 20 seats, CPI-L would support candidates of other Left parties as part of efforts to forge a Left unity.

Bhattacharya said efforts would be made to field a common Left candidate at Patna Lok Sabha seat. The CPI-ML General Secretary ruled out any possibility of alliance with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) in 2014 elections.

"The question does not arise...Nitish Kumar government has failed to stand on promises made to the people," he said. Bhattacharya said that a CPI-ML delegation would visit relief camps in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh to gauge the condition of the victims.

PTI