Kolkata, Oct 31: With the CPI-M having ruled out a pre-poll alliance with the Congress and yet to spell out how it will go about with that party to defeat the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections in five states as also in parliamentary polls, the former West Bengal chief minister, Jyoti Basu, today regretted that the left parties were still divided on the question of electoral strategy. Without naming Congress, the veteran CPI-M leader said that his party's politburo and central committee would meet next month to decide on the electoral strategy for the polls in five states as also in the general elections.

"There is no unity as yet among the left parties on the question of modalities of electoral strategy to defeat the BJP,'' Basu told a function here.

The veteran CPI-M leader, who has strongly advocated that the need of the hour was that his party should extend support to Congress in the upcoming polls in five states as also in the next general election to defeat 'communal' BJP, reiterated that the leftists had not the strength to provide an alternative government at the Centre.
Basu said, ''BJP-led 22-party coalition government which has no programmes and policies would have to be dislodged if the country were to be saved from ruin."

"We have to see how to save the country from the scourge of communalism," he said adding that there was an urgent need for launching all-out countrywide movement to dislodge the present BJP-led coalition government.
The function was organised to mark the birth centenary of the communist leader, Narayan Roy.

Bureau Report