Alternative front should have programmes for poor: CPI

Veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan today said that the proposed third front should have programmes for the benefit of the poor and meet their aspirations and criticised the UPA and NDA regimes.
"The alternative front of UPA and NDA should not just come and go. It should sustain and meet aspirations of the people and work under certain programme to benefit poor," Bardhan said.
"Both Vajpayee led NDA government and Manmohan Singh led UPA governments adopted the same new liberalisation policy. Both are equal when it comes to encouraging capitalism in the country," the CPI leader said while addressing a political convention of CPI, CPI(M) and Forward Bloc here.

Bardhan said both the UPA and NDA adopted the same economic policy which has left rich richer and poor poorer.
"Corporate Houses run the government and they decide who will be the minister of a particular portfolio," he alleged.
"They run the government of the corporates, by the corporates and for the corporate houses. The business houses now prepare the economic policy of the country, while Finance Minister P Chidambaram keeps on misleading the nation, he alleged ridiculing the Congress leadership.

Stating that the Left parties demand of universalising of the Public Distribution System (PDS) was essential for ensuring food security in the country, Bardhan said that the government refused to bear a burden of about Rs 1.75 lakh crore per annum for giving food to the poor while it did not hesitate to exempt Rs 5 lakh crore to corporate houses.

CPI(M) Politburo member and Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Suryakanta Mishra said "There is no alternative to Left policies as we have seen what this right economic policy has done to the country during six years rule of NDA and about 10 years governance by UPA."
The convention endorsed the July 1 resolution of CPI, CPI(M), Forward Bloc and RSP.