Tamil Nadu

CPI may form third alternative: Nallakannu

Tirupur: Communist Party of India will take steps to create a third political alternative sans Congress and BJP in the forthcoming Parliament elections to help the nation crawl out of economic crisis, according to R. Nallakannu, senior leader and chairman of the Control Commission of CPI.

Mr. Nallakannu told reporters here on Thursday that such an alternative would emerge from struggles on common issues.

The alliance thus evolved would work on electoral understanding on a long-term basis in terms of policies distinctly different from the Congress and the BJP.

He alleged that the Union Government had failed miserably to control the rise in prices of essential commodities.

To ease inflationary pressures, steps should be taken immediately to reduce the prices of petroleum products by restructuring the indirect taxes levied on petrol and diesel.

“It is indeed a pity that the UPA Government, which showed haste to increase domestic oil prices when the international crude oil prices soared, is not willing to reduce the cost now at a time when the barrel prices have come down drastically,” Mr. Nallakannu said.

He pointed out that crude oil prices per barrel had slid from an all-time high of $147 to $ 60 in the last four months.

The CPI leader blamed the State Government for not coming out with constructive action plans to overcome the power crisis.

“Steps should be taken to optimally tap entire wind and other renewable energy sources available,” Mr. Nallakannu said.

For the survival of small and medium scale enterprises, fuel should be given at subsidised rates to help them opt for captive power generation in the wake of prolonged load shedding enforced in the State.

Mr. Nallakannu urged the Central Government to take steps to stop the killings of innocent Tamils by the Sri Lankan armed forces in the island nation immediately. “Bilateral talks should be initiated to prevent any further genocide,” he added.

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