Signaling its keenness to create a third alternative along with the United National Progressive Alliance, the Left Front on Thursday announced that they will coordinate with the alliance against the government over the India-United States nuclear agreement and other issues.
The Left, which provides crucial outside support to the ruling United Progressive Alliance, dropped hints of its intention to stitch a non-Congress and non-BJP alliance after UNPA chairperson Mulayam Singh met Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Prakash Karat and his Communist Party of India counterpart A B Bardhan in New Delhi.
After his meeting with Singh, Bardhan announced that the Left and the UNPA will jointly hold rallies in New Delhi on October 30 and in Vijayawada on November 24.
"On people's issues, we are on the same platform. There is an effort to create an alternative (to Congress and BJP) to raise people's issues and it will be formed," Bardhan told reporters along with Mulayam Singh.
Asked whether the Left and the UNPA could formally come together, Singh said "one cannot predict the result of joint struggles".
Bardhan said that he Left and the UNPA will coordinate their stand in the Parliament on the Indo-US nuclear deal as both are opposed to the agreement.
While the Left is asking the government to put the deal on hold, Singh went a step ahead and asked the government to scrap the agreement with the US as it poses a 'big danger" to the country's sovereignty.
"The Left and the UNPA have the same opinion about the nuclear deal. We will fight together on this issue and will take it to the people," Singh said.
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Telugu Desam Party's Yerran Naidu will attend the farmer's rally to be held in New Delhi later this month while Left leaders will participate in the rally organised by the UNPA in Vijayawada, Bardhan said.
Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh came down heavily on senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily for dubbing the Left parleys with the UNPA as a 'desperate measure'.
"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others," Singh said, adding, "it is not surprising to hear such comments from power brokers and sycophants, but we don't take it seriously".
He said the Samajwadi Party and the Left Front has always been together on issues concerning the common man and there was nothing new in the parleys.