CPI (M) has given up the idea of Third Front: Prakash Karat

VISAKHAPATNAM: The CPI(M) has abandoned the idea of formulating a third alternative (non-Congress and non-BJP) at the central level given the political situation in the country, the party's outgoing General Secretary Prakash Karat said.

Speaking to media persons at a press conference, the Left leader also said the 21st Congress of the party passed a resolution demanding that the Government should hold a special Parliament session on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar.

The Congress also adopted another resolution against the new land acquisition bill currently awaiting Parliament nod.

Replying to a query, Karat said, "since these parties (regional parties) with their policies and programmes cannot be alternative to the Congress and the BJP, we may cooperate with these parties on different issues. We may join movements and struggles with them. It is possible that we may have an electoral alliance in some states at a particular juncture, but there will not be any national level alliance with them. We will not project any alliance at national level with such parties."

He said that his party propagated the idea of forming the third alternative. However, it has become irrelevant to the current political trends.

Karat presented the Draft Review Report on the Political Tactical Line, in the party's 21st Congress which began yesterday.

The review covers the period of 25 years from 1990-91. It focused on assessing how the Political Tactic Line has helped the 'independent growth' of a Left and Democratic alliance.

Karat said the report was processed all the amendments received from the party members and units of the Draft review Report.

All together, 1431 amendments and 136 suggestions were received, out of these 29 amendments have been accepted. "Still discussions are going on and by tomorrow we will be able to come out with the resolution on Political Tactic Line of the party," Karat explained.

According to him, the party has a membership base of over one million mostly concentrated in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura.

He said the party Congress is also discussing on the strategies to grow independently.