CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury at a press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday. Partha Paul CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday said that the leader of an alternative national front would be determined after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and not before it.
Addressing a news conference at state CPM headquarters, Yechury said that his party’s aim is to maximise the anti-BJP votes. Asserting that there is no precedent in India of an alternative front taking shape before the general elections, Yechury said, “At no time in an all-India election did an alternative front, which formed the government, take shape before the election. In my opinion, it can never happen given the diversity of the country. Even when former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was defeated, the Janata Party, which formed an alternative government, came about post election. In 1996, the United Front was formed post election when Deve Gowda became the Prime Minister. In 1998, the NDA was formed post election when Atal Behari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister. In 2004, the UPA was formed post election when Manmohan Singh became the Prime Minister. So, who will emerge as the leader (of an alternative front) could only be determined after the elections.”
The remark by the veteran Left leader comes amid ongoing efforts by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to cobble up an alliance against the BJP.
The Left Front, meanwhile, named Saira Shah Halim of the CPM as its candidate for the Ballygunge Assembly bypoll and Partha Mukherjee, also of the CPM, as its candidate for the Asansol Lok Sabha bypoll. The bye-elections will be held on April 12 and the votes will be counted on April 16.
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