CPI(M) defends Basu's appeal to Congress supporters

The CPI(M) today defended its leader Jyoti Basu's appeal to Congress supporters to vote for Left Front candidates in the coming bypolls in West Bengal, while the two main opposition parties either rejected or refused to lend it any importance.

''It is up to them (Congress supporters) to accept it. But, whatever he said was in national interest,'' CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said.

Describing Mr Basu as a 'father figure', Mr Yechury said the veteran leader had only put forth some 'suggestions'.

''He is above party politics and you cannot ignore him,'' Mr Yechury said.

However, Pradesh Congress Committee working president Pradip Bhattacharya summarily rejected Mr Basu's appeal.

''Jyotibabu is a respectable person. But, we cannot accept his appeal to the Congress workers and supporters. We have rejected it,'' he said.

''Every party goes by its own political decisions. In this state, we have taken a political decision based on the local objective to align with the Trinamool Congress and the alliance has come out with spectacular success so far. We will continue our alliance,'' he said.

''At the same time, it is our political decision to oppose the CPI(M) as it was for the Left parties to support the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre in 2004,'' Mr Bhattacharya said.

He observed that it was a 'compulsion' on the part of the CPI(M) and other Left parties to support the UPA since there was no other choice left to them at that time.

-- (UNI) -- 02CA42.xml

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