Cong have to rethink its economic policies: CPM

Ludhiana: CPI(M) on Saturday said there was no scope any understanding or alliance with the Congress unless the UPA changed its economic policies.

"Unless and until they (UPA) make amendments in the present economic policies (there can be no such accord)," CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said in reply to a question from reporters.

He said if the UPA wanted any understanding with the Left, the Congress-led alliance would have to "rethink" its economic policies.

The Left parties have 24 members in the Lok Sabha, including 16 from CPI-M.

The CPI(M) leader charged the UPA government with taking the nation for a ride on the nuclear deal issue, on which the Left had parted ways from the UPA-I.

He said even after almost four years of signing the nuclear treaty not even a single unit of the electricity was generated "with the so called atomic energy".

Referring to the Punjab poll scenario, Yechury predicted a fractured verdict in the state and said the Punjab Peoples Party (PPP)-led Sanjha Morcha would play a crucial role in government formation.

For the first time in the election history of Punjab there is a viable third alternative to the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress, he said.

Earlier he addressed election rallies in favour of CPI-M candidates at Hoshiarpur, Garhshankar and Phillaur. The Morcha comprises CPI-M, CPI and Akali Dal (Longowal) besides PPP.