New Delhi:
Third front governments in India, as an alternative to a Congress-led or a BJP-led coalition, have often been a short-lived experience. And that too mostly because of the Prime Ministerial ambitions of the constituent parties.
Wiser from its past experiences, the Left parties have now given a call to ask for neetis (policies) and not netas (leaders). Today, 11 non-Congress, non-BJP parties like the AIADMK, Samajwadi party, Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties are meeting in Delhi to draw up a common charter of programs.
Sources say Left leaders are like to present three broad areas where the parties can work together. The main theme that will connect these regional parties and the Left would be the issue of countering communalism and politics of polarisation.
Left parties will also present an alternative economic model that will focus on providing relief to consumers from price rise. The alternative model will talk about a growth-model driven by large-scale investments in infrastructure sector to create more jobs.
Left wants huge public investments in the agriculture sector and fast tracking of legislations to ensure land reforms. "We don't agree with this UPA or NDA's view that only foreign capital can save the economy. Hopefully, all will agree with our viewpoint," said a senior Left leader, familiar with the joint policy document.
The third major area of focus would be to bring in the concept of accountability in governance. This is an obvious attempt to counter the Congress's anti-corruption plank.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect is that while the Samajwadi party strongly opposed the anti-corruption law, the Lokpal act, almost all the parties opposed the introduction of a new law to deal with communal violence.
Wiser from its past experiences, the Left parties have now given a call to ask for neetis (policies) and not netas (leaders). Today, 11 non-Congress, non-BJP parties like the AIADMK, Samajwadi party, Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties are meeting in Delhi to draw up a common charter of programs.
Sources say Left leaders are like to present three broad areas where the parties can work together. The main theme that will connect these regional parties and the Left would be the issue of countering communalism and politics of polarisation.
Left parties will also present an alternative economic model that will focus on providing relief to consumers from price rise. The alternative model will talk about a growth-model driven by large-scale investments in infrastructure sector to create more jobs.
Left wants huge public investments in the agriculture sector and fast tracking of legislations to ensure land reforms. "We don't agree with this UPA or NDA's view that only foreign capital can save the economy. Hopefully, all will agree with our viewpoint," said a senior Left leader, familiar with the joint policy document.
The third major area of focus would be to bring in the concept of accountability in governance. This is an obvious attempt to counter the Congress's anti-corruption plank.
But perhaps the most interesting aspect is that while the Samajwadi party strongly opposed the anti-corruption law, the Lokpal act, almost all the parties opposed the introduction of a new law to deal with communal violence.
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