Left warns UPA against moves to disinvest NALCO, NLC

The Left parties will oppose the UPA government''s move to offload stakes in central PSUs NALCO and Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the Communist Party of India (CPI) said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, CPI secretary D Raja, who is also a member of the UPA-Left coordination committee, accused the Centre of following a misguided privatisation policy and demanded that the government take a "midcourse correction".

Raja alleged that the UPA government is following the same economic policies of the BJP-led NDA government which were influenced by "international capital and MNCs", and demanded a departure from its present policies.

Raja said the Left parties have submitted a note to the UPA in the last coordination committee. "UPA will have to respond to the note." UPA cannot pursue "neo-liberal economic policies" and must adhere to the Common Minimum Programme, he said.

He, however, said the Left would have a "frank, hard talk" with the ruling alliance, likely in early July. "UPA cannot take the support of Left for granted. If it does that, it will have to face the consequences," he said.

Raja, however, discounted the possibility of a third alternative. He said a third front without the Congress and the BJP cannot be a sure success in the present context. The Left, he said, is trying for an alternative, which should emerge from people''s movements, struggles based on policies and programmes.