Asking for better representation, Karat promises voters of alternative political option

Campaigning for the three candidates of Communist Party of India (Marxist) contesting in Dakshina Kannada district, CPI(M) Politburo Member Brinda Karat in a news conference on Wednesday said that the party wished to see a strong representation in Karnataka, where both the Congress and the BJP have fielded candidates whose 'claim to fame' is through the money they have. In this scenario, Ms Karat said, the CPI(M) wanted to offer to the voters of the state an alternative political option.

“Critical issues like the fundamental issues of the peasants and workers have been thrown on the wayside by both the parties. There is an added dimension in Mangalore which is the communalisation of politics,” she said, adding that the region had witnessed attempts to communalise voters.

“We have seen socially-retrograde forces in the region who have attacked basic liberties of free citizenship, and therefore in these elections, the Left parties are mobilizing their own bases and voters and reaching out to a wider section to provide alternative politics, which is not only necessary for Karnataka alone, but is essential for the future in this country too,” she said.

Highlighting the failure of the BJP government to project any alternative for the Congress policies at the Centre, she said that there was nothing for the people to choose between the policies projected by both the major parties. “Therefore this is the time to project an alternative politics. The security of food is a big issue in Karnataka. The second big issue is the protection of the workers of the unorganized sector. There are a large number of workers living in the cities without social security, housing or basic amenities. Along with that, the profiteering of the health sector is having adverse affect on the poor and the marginalized,” she said, adding that the Left was the only political alternative to raise the voice of the poor.

“Our aim is to have a strong presence and representation in the Karnataka Assembly this time. We want to become the voice of the workers and peasants in the state Assembly. We want to see the reflection of the economic rights of the people,” she said.

B Madhava and CPI(M) candidate Vasant Achari were present.

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