Bihar by-polls a proper lesson for secular forces: CPI(M)

Left parties today said the unity between JD(U) and RJD in the Bihar assembly bye-elections had paid off in keeping BJP out and stressed that secular forces should draw proper lessons from this. "These bye-elections have political significance as far as Bihar is concerned. The unity among some major non-BJP secular parties has paid off as they could pool their votes and resources. I think the understanding was correct as far as their getting together (in Bihar) was concerned," CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said here.

He observed that the Left can cooperate with secular forces wherever possible, but there were political issues regarding Congress and its policies. "As far as the political aspect of how non-BJP forces can be raised, as far as we are concerned, there are other aspects as well. Wherever possible, we have to cooperate with secular parties but we also have political issues regarding the Congress," Karat said. On Congress, he said, "Our party line is to fight BJP primarily because it is in power now. But we are opposed to the policies of the Congress too." CPI National Secretary D Raja earlier said the victory of anti-BJP forces in the assembly by-polls showed "growing disenchantment" among the people with BJP and its policies and the secular forces must draw lessons on how to fight the ruling coalition at the Centre. "The results show that the people are not prepared to accept the RSS and corporate-driven policies of the BJP government. It shows a fast-growing disillusionment among them," he said.

Observing that the trend of last month's bye-elections in Uttarakhand in which all the three seats went to Congress was continuing, Raja said, "The secular forces must draw proper lessons that BJP has to be fought, not only on the secular plank, but on its economic policies also."

Karat had last week said that CPI(M) was committed to form a broad platform to fight against the "anti-people policies and communal designs" of the Narendra Modi government. Addressing a gathering in Kannur in Kerala, he had said like in Bihar where CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) had jointly contested the bypolls.

He said efforts towards forming such a platform would be on in Jharkhand too where such an alliance would be formed to contest the assembly elections.