CPI(M) willing to tie up with regional parties: Yechury

The Left combine led by the CPI(M) is willing to cooperate with all regional parties opposed to globalisation and liberalisation policies that had 'pauperised' large sections of people in the country, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said here today.
Inaugurating a seminar on the sidelines of the plenum of CPI(M)'s Kerala unit here, he said mass movement and political action based on alternative policies would be able to halt the liberalisation and globalisation process as had been proved in many countries in Latin America.
"Alternative policies are possible. This has been proved in Latin America, where mass struggles have not only helped reverse globalisation and liberalisation, but even led to change of governments," he said.

Such changes were possible in India as well and CPI(M) was committed to accentuate that process and prepared to cooperate with regional parties, he said.
Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, who was invited as a special guest, said there was nothing wrong in the ruling and opposition parties cooperating for the larger interests of the state.
Mani, whose Kerala Congress (M) is a key partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF, said his presence at a seminar of CPI(M) should not be construed as signal that he was mulling to cross over to the LDF.

"The opposition is the fifth estate in a democracy. Cooperation of the ruling and opposition parties over common issues concerning the people is necessary. But this should not be interpreted that we are planning switch over to the other camp," the Kerala Congress veteran said.

Mani said changes in Centre-state relations are necessary to ensure that the state had been devolved its due share of resources by the Union Government.
Significantly, Mani's acceptance of CPI(M)'s invitation has fuelled speculation that it signalled a realignment in the state which could even lead to the fall of the Oommen Chandy government.