Q&A: Basudeb Acharia, CPI(M) leader, Lok Sabha

'Entire Oppn is united on price rise'

Why has the Opposition failed to show unity even on the issue of price rise?
This is not correct. We are very much united on this issue. From the first day, we have been demanding an adjournment motion. The entire Opposition spoke in one voice in support of that demand. There is no difference in our approach.

There is no floor coordination between the Left and the BJP, or for that matter even with Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad.There was no floor coordination earlier as well. Not even informal coordination. But in the House, we talk on select issues. There is no harm in talking to the parties. We will not maintain any coordination with the BJP.

But you had a joint strike with the BJP on July 5.
No question of coming together. It was the Left parties’ decision. We invited some non-NDA, non-UPA parties. The BJP subsequently also called a strike and supported our strike. We never invited them to join us.

The government also plans to pass the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill during this session. Will you be able to muster enough strength to stall it?
We will try to get support of all the Opposition parties who are against the Bill in its current form. The BJP, too, had opposed it at the stage of introduction.

But earlier, Mulayam Singh’s SP and Lalu Prasad’s RJD had left you at the last moment and helped the government. Still, you depend on them.
Yes, I agree that in the trust vote in 2009 and then in the cut motion in the last Budget, they didn’t support us. They were a part of the meeting of 13 parties and had agreed to vote against the Budget. It was unfortunate. But we will try to persuade them.

Every time you want a vote, the Opposition is miserably defeated, be it the trust vote or the cut motions. Why do you still insist on voting?
We are not trying to topple the government but to highlight the problem of price rise. It is the duty of Opposition parties. If the government is so confident about winning, then why is it so scared about a discussion with voting? We want specific actions from the government and the proposal for discussion must contain the words “price rise”.