CPI to support separate Telangana

The Communist Party of India on Tuesday announced its support for a separate Telangana state saying it respected the sentiments of the people of the region.

The CPI said if the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government introduces a bill or a resolution in the Parliament for formation of Telangana state, the party would support it.

The party's stand was made clear by CPI general secretary AB Bardhan at a press conference.

Don't Miss! Telangana state is no distant dream

Without taking any name, Bardhan ridiculed the CPI-Marxist observation that smaller states could not function democratically and effectively. "It is all rubbish," he quipped and added that the size of the state won't decide the performance of the state administration.

He also felt there is no need for constituting the Second States Reorganisation State to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. In the recent past, three states -- Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand -- were formed by bifurcating three states without any SRC, he reminded and added that the Second SRC would only open up the Pandora's box and precipitate the situation.

"Linguistic states don't mean that there would be only one state for one language. There may be any number of states but the only thing to get linguistic status is that the people within the state should speak only one language. There is nothing wrong if two Telugu-speaking states are formed," he added.

The CPI leader refused to comment on Telugu actor Chiranjeevi's proposed political party. He said his party would react only after he floats the party and announces its policies and programmes.

On the national political scenario, Bardhan said there is an essential need to have a Left Democratic alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Both the Congress and the BJP are following the same neo-liberal economic policies and equally pampering the corporate sector to maintain the so-called economic growth. It is wrong and dangerous. The ultimate goal of the Left is socialism and the Left parties would continue to fight for it.

"How can anyone claim that the Indian economy is growing rich day by day when 70 percent of the people are surviving just on Rupees 20 a day?" he asked.