Left, key regional parties launch 'Third Force'

Launching the 'Third Force', the Left and major regional parties today joined hands to take on the Congress and the BJP in the upcoming general elections, saying both of them had failed to address people's grievances.

Addressing a massive rally here, leaders of these parties announced that they had come together to provide a "new alternative" to the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

"This is a historic get together of all democratic, secular and Left parties in the country to declare that we are all coming together to constitute a third force in this country," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said.

He said the third force stood for the interests of the vast masses for the firm defence of secularism against communal forces. The platform, he said, would fight for social justice for the oppressed sections.

Joined by CPI leader A B Bardhan, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda among others, Karat said, ""Today we have come together because the country needs a new alternative."

Recalling the formation of the United Front government headed by Gowda 13 years ago, Karat said people came to know in 1996 that "the future of this country does not lie either with Congress or the BJP."

He said the UF then comprised all secular, democratic and regional parties, along with the Left to provide an alternative to the Congress and BJP.

He said even after 60 years of independence, both the major parties had "failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people".

Rebutting Congress claims of a nine per cent economic growth rate, Karat asked as to what it meant for the common people and said the country still witnessed the "shameful spectacle" of farmers committing suicide and people facing the brunt of high unemployment and rising prices.

"Life is unbearable for the ordinary people," the CPI(M) leader said, adding that on top of this, the global economic crisis had led to loss of millions of jobs and the crash of the world financial system and banks.

Though the chiefs of AIADMK and BSP, J Jayalalithaa and Mayawati, skipped the function, their representatives V Maitreyan and Satish Chandra Mishra were present.