Sitaram Yechury rules out alliance with Congress

KOLKATA: Ruling out an alliance with Congress, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury today sought co-operation of all "secular" opposition parties to fight the Narendra Modi government's economic policies and the "Hindutva agenda".

"We are very clear that there can be no alliance with the Congress party because of fundamental ideological differences," he said.

Asked about any possibility of alliance with Congress, Yechury told reporters that they were co-operating with Congress in Parliament based on issues.

The veteran Left leader alleged the Modi government was "patronising a hardcore Hindutva agenda" and sought cooperation of all secular parties to fight the Centre's economic policies.

"The Modi government has combined two objectives into one - anti-people, neo-liberal economic policies in the name of "achhe din" and rapid communalisation that is taking place all over the country," Yechury alleged.

"I seek co-operation of all secular, opposition parties who are willing to fight," he said.

On the political situation in West Bengal, the CPI(M) leader said, "The people were living in a dangerous situation as they were caught between majority communalism of BJP and minority communalism of the ruling Trinamool Congress."

It was his first visit to the state after being elected as the party's general secretary on April 19.