Yechury meets Sharad Yadav

Senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury today met JD-U chief Sharad Yadav here amid talks of non-Congress, non-BJP parties tying up for the next general elections gaining ground.
Though both the leaders did not divulge what was discussed, Yechury said Left parties want unity of parties on the basis of alternative policies.
"What we want is alternative policies. Left parties have called a political convention on July one. It will discuss the alternative policy framework," Yechury told reporters after the 30-minute meeting with the NDA convenor.
Asked whether the Left would join a Third Front, he said it "depends upon the programme and policies" of such a platform. He, however, made it clear that there was "no such talk" (of third front) at the meeting.

Observing that nothing much should be made out of his meeting Yadav, Yechury said the JD-U chief had invited him for dinner which he could not attend. "There is no politics ... We have been old friends."
Party General Secretary Prakash Karat had yesterday ruled out any effort by the Left to forge a third front and said the electoral strategy would only be to have a temporary arrangement based on seat adjustments and tactics.

Yechury earlier said an alternative to Congress and BJP was not possible "because it's only the Left which gives the cohesion and programme for such an alternative.

"The Left has always been telling what the country needs and what the people are looking for is relief from their burdens. And such relief can come only if alternative policies are put in place," he had said, and pointed out that the policies of both BJP and Congress were "virtually similar".
In this situation, "The country and the people need some sort of alternative which can be worked out only by the active participation of the Left.