GUWAHATI, Sept 5 - The Communist Party of India (CPI) wants all the �anti-BJP� forces to come closer and believes that the Congress, as the largest opposition force, should take the initiative for formation of a �united front� of opposition groups to take on the ruling NDA in Assam during the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The CPI would be willing to cooperate with the Congress in case the grand old party decides to take some initiative in this regard.
�Our party�s official line is that BJP is the main enemy. In some states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Punjab, the local units of our party have started formal or informal talks with the Congress as the first step towards creating an alliance of the opposition forces or at least to have some sort of minimum understanding to take on the BJP unitedly. However, in Assam no such talks have been held so far. In fact, Congress leaders here have not made their stand clear regarding opposition unity,� CPI Assam State committee secretary Munin Mahanta told The Assam Tribune today.
He added, �The Congress Working Committee (CWC) under Rahul Gandhi recently expressed willingness to explore state-specific alliances during the Lok Sabha polls. We also want state-specific alliances or understanding to fight the BJP. We will welcome any initiative by the Congress party in Assam for formation of an anti-BJP front.�
Asked if the CPI, on its own, is likely to approach the Congress for formation of a state-level alliance or for some sort of understanding between the two parties during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mahanta said the State executive of the Left party would take a decision on the issue when it meets in the last week of this month.
The CPI is also against the idea of a �third front� of non-Congress and non-BJP parties as it may lead to division of anti-BJP votes.
�There are some efforts at a so-called �third front� at the national level and also in some states. Such a front will only benefit the BJP. We prefer a one-to-one contest between the BJP and the anti-BJP parties,� Mahanta said.
Accusing the BJP governments at the Centre and in the State of failure on various fronts, the Left leader said that a mass movement against the ruling dispensation is the need of the hour.
�Such a mass movement, flickers of which are already visible, may very well make the way for an alternative political discourse,� said the CPI leader.