Left parties to launch campaign against BJP

Campaign by Left parties comes in wake of BJP announcing its plan to undertake campaigns in constituencies of opposition MPs following wash-out of Monsoon session

Left parties will launch a campaign against the BJP from poll-bound Bihar next month to expose the party on various issues including alleged corruption.

CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said central leaders of all Left parties will hold a convention in Patna on September 7, setting the tone of the campaign "to expose BJP on corruption" issues in the Hindi belt.

The campaign by the Left parties comes in the wake of BJP announcing its plan to undertake campaigns in constituencies of opposition MPs following wash-out of Parliament's Monsoon session. The ruling party had blamed opposition parties for poor business during the session.

"We will carry out a counter campaign. As part of this, a joint convention by central leaders of all Left parties will be held next month. We want to campaign more in Hindi states (from where BJP draws strength in House) and where it hurts the most, exposing the ruling party," Reddy said.

Exhibiting good show in Bihar during the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and its allies had managed to win 31 out of 40 seats. In another politically crucial state in the Hindi belt, Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had secured 71 out of the total 80 seats there.

Reddy said the Left cadre will reach out to people against the Government through booklets, leaflets, public meetings and seminars in the region.

Meanwhile, the former MP said seat-sharing talks for Bihar elections, likely to be held in September/October, amongst Left parties will be finalised by next week.

Asked if Left parties plan to tie up with NCP, which pulled out of JD(U)-RJD alliance after it was allotted fewer seats, for the crucial polls, Reddy said a call to this regard will be taken after consulting CPI state unit.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley had on Thursday said that one Union Minister and four NDA MPs will hold public meetings and events in the constituencies of the 44 Congress MPs and nine Left lawmakers to "expose" the opposition over wash-out of Monsoon session.