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Left counter-offensive : ‘understanding’ with Third Front to jointly oppose nuclear deal

	October 29, 2007

Reacting quickly to the Congress move to strengthen rela¬tions with its UPA allies to get their support and commitment on the nuclear deal, the Left has worked out an understanding with the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) or the third front, to adopt a common approach in Parliament to the agreement with the United States. The understanding was worked out at a meeting between some senior UNPA leaders and CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat in New Delhi on Oct. 23, just a day after the UPA-Left political committee meeting.



The UNPA leaders did not come out with details of the meet¬ing held at Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh’s residence, but Prakash Karat later told newspersons that the UNPA agreed to have a common approach with the Left on the nuclear deal. The meeting was attended among others by Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, Telugu Desam Party ( president N. Chandrababu Naidu and another TDP leader K. Yerran Naidu. Karat informed the UNPA leaders of what transpired at the UPA-Left political committee meeting on Oct. 22.



That it was not a routine meeting became clear on Oct. 25 when distancing themselves from the BJP, the UNPA constituents formally joined hands with the Left parties to oppose the Govern¬ment on the nuclear deal in the Winter session of Parliament. Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is being projected now as the UNPA chairperson and party general secretary Amar Singh called on CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan at their party offices and an¬nounced that the UNPA shared the Left’s views on the nuclear deal. Bardhan said the Left would have a common strategy with the UNPA in Parliament on the issue.



In the last session of Parliament, Samajwadi Party members usually adopted a stand similar to that of the BJP on various issues and went along with the BJP in demanding the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to go into the nuclear deal. The changed perspective of the UNPA on the issue became clear last week when it distanced itself from the demand for a JPC.



The Left parties and the UNPA decided to extend their coop¬eration beyond the nuclear deal to issues such as price rise and farmers’ problems. As per the understanding reached between the two sides, the UNPA will take part in CPI’s Kisan Rally in New Delhi on Oct. 30 while Left leaders will participate in UNPA’s rally in Vijaywada on Nov. 24.



The Left leaders are, however, learnt to have turned down the idea of a broader Third Front at this stage, saying that such a front had to evolve from joint struggles for common causes. Although it was Prakash Karat who had floated the idea of a broader Third Front, the Left maintained that such a front should not be what it called, “an opportunistic alliance.”



TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu who is the UNPA convener, also held discussions with Prakash Karat and A.B. Bardhan in New Delhi last week.



Observers say that the UNPA-Left alliance on the nuclear deal is likely to pose a tough challenge to the Congress in the coming session of Parliament and will demarcate the BJP and non-BJP opposition to the controversial nuclear deal.



Mulayam Singh Yadav told newspersons on Oct. 25 that the nuclear deal was not a party issue and concerned the whole nation. He said the deal was no good and for years would yield no benefit. He said the Left and the UNPA will not only oppose the government, but have joint struggles too. Bardhan said the UNPA and the Left were coming together not for a third alterna¬tive, but for alternative policies.



Reacting to the Left-UNPA moves, AICC media committee chair¬man Veerappa Moily said, “The Left is becoming desperate which is not necessary. We are responding to them. We have formed the joint mechanism and are not operationalising the deal unless the mechanism comes out with a solution. We are hopeful that a solution would be found.”



Speaking to mediapersons in Hyderabad on Oct. 25, he de¬scribed Prakash Karat’s visit to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh’s residence as “the most unfortunate” development. He said, “it is quite shocking and surprising. Amar Singh is a man of shady deals, and that Prakash Karat who is supposed to be a progressive man, makes a visit to Amar Singh’s house, this is most unfortunate development.”





Let Parliament decide on nuclear deal : CPI(M)



An editorial in the CPI(M) party organ, People’s Democracy, has said that the only way the impasse on the nuclear deal can end, is by permitting a majority in Parliament to decide whether the deal is acceptable to India or not. The editorial expressed the hope that the BJP would allow a discussion on the nuclear deal during the coming Winter session.



The editorial argued that a fractured mandate must not be seen as a regression of India’s democratic evolution; in many ways, it reflected that Indian democracy has matured. The party said, at least for some time in the future, coalition governments are the order of things to come in Indian politics.



Speaking in Bangalore, CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said that India should not operationalise the nuclear deal with the United States and should wait till President George Bush completes his term.







Why is Chandrababu Naidu angry with PM ?



TDP chief and UNPA convener N. Chandrababu Naidu has accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of being insensitive to farmers’ issues. He said he has been denied an appointment for two weeks despite repeated reminders. Speaking in New Delhi on Oct. 24, he said, “I am a former Chief Minister and leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh. I have been convener of an alliance that was in power for two and a half years at the Centre. Do you think I can be treated in such a manner ? That too, when we are trying to raise people’s issues ? We will open the eyes of this govern¬ment,” Naidu thundered.



Just as his late father in law, TDP founder N.T. Rama Rao, had invoked Telugu pride, 24 years ago to dislodge the Congress, Naidu said the issues of farmers’ rights would be taken up to “teach them(Congress) a lesson.”



An annoyed Naidu told reporters that he was waiting for an appointment with Singh as farmers in Andhra Pradesh and other states were protesting because prices were falling due to a ban on paddy exports. He demanded that the ban be lifted.







Food riots in West Bengal : Congress tells CPI(M) to put its house in order



Pushed to the corner by the Left on the nuclear deal, the Congress has questioned the Left parties’ commitment to the poor, hitting out at the West Bengal government for the ongoing food riots in the Left Front ruled state. The party said that those who profess concerns for the poorest of the poor should imme¬diately set their own house in order. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi on Oct. 22 that the state government should urgently address the legitimate concerns of the deprived and the needy.



The Congress reaction comes in the wake of many rural areas in West Bengal witnessing large scale social unrest and riots following the breakdown of the public distribution system. Singhvi said the food riots in the state reflected the deficien¬cies in availability, distribution and pricing of foodgrains and in regulatory systems.



The Congress also questioned the credibility of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani seeking a higher minimum support price for paddy. Singhvi said the National Democratic Alliance government, in which Advani was Deputy Prime Minister, had almost frozen paddy prices during its six years in office. Singhvi said the Centre has been proactive in ensuring better prices for farmers and that Advani’s charge was untenable.



Stung by the Congress attack, the CPI(M) on Oct. 23 sought to blame the opposition parties in West Bengal, including the Congress and the Trinamul Congress, for the food situation in the state. The CPI(M) politburo in a statement said there are no food riots in West Bengal although some elements who want a Mahajot (grand alliance) are doing everything possible to incite violence on the issue of ration distribution to disrupt the entire system.



In the meantime, the public outburst against corrupt ration shop dealers continues unabated in the state with protesters attacking and torching godowns in some ares forcing the police to lathi-charge and fire at unruly crowds.



Ration dealers across the state on Oct. 22 started surren¬dering their licenses en mass to protest the alleged failure of the state administration in providing them with security. But the called off the move on Oct. 23 following an assurance from the state government to address their concerns.