`Left`s relevance will never diminish`

yechuri

The relevance of the Left parties in Indian politics will never diminish, believes CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury. He thinks people want a third alternative in national politics. In an exclusive interview to Sify.com, the Communist veteran says regional parties will come together to form the government at the Centre after the polls. Excerpts:

Both the Congress and the BJP claim that the next government will be led by either of them. What`s your assessment?

Apart from the need for an alternative policy trajectory in economic policies for ensuring effective social justice and for resolutely combating both communalism and terrorism, the forging of a non-Congress secular combination to form the government at the Centre acquires utmost urgency. A number of smaller political parties have started realising it and are saying so publicly.

Special: LS polls

But most surveys say that the strength of the Left parties in the next Lok Sabha will come down sharply. Will a truncated Left be able to lead a fragile Third Front?

This is a presumption and the surveys have been found off the mark on many occasions. So let`s wait for the result. Whatever the numbers, the relevance of the Left parties in Indian politics will never diminish. All parties, including the BJP and the Congress, admit it.

The Congress seems to be some feelers to you. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi have indicated this clearly. Do you think it`s possible?

This is nothing but an admission of the fact that the Congress has seen the writing on the wall that it cannot form the next government along with its existing allies. The indispensability of the Left in the current Indian political situation has been articulated from other quarters as well. These include the current allies of both BJP, like JD(U), and Congress, like NCP and others. What is in store for the future, therefore, is a realignment of political forces leading to the emergence of a new secular combination post-elections.

But do you completely rule out that possibility-- even if the only alternative is an NDA government with L K Advani as the prime minister?

We will come to that bridge when we cross it. Just now, we are doing everything possible to prepare a third non-BJP, non-Congress alternative and have received positive response. We will decide on a concrete strategy when the results are out.

Poll debate: Is a two-party system good for India?

Some political observers say that India is moving toward a bipolar politics. How far is your exercise to cobble up a third front viable?

The bipolar polity idea has been exposed as wishful thinking after many an erstwhile ally of the BJP deserted the NDA. Many UPA allies who continue to remain ministers in the Union cabinet have also parted ways with Congress to form new groupings. Such developments are not mere expressions of opportunism and 'positioning' by the regional parties, as suggested by some. They are a reflection of the pressure being mounted on the regional parties by their own followers who want relief from the overbearing economic burdens. It means people are seeking an alternative.

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