SULTHAN BATHERY: The UPA government in 2009, without the support of the Left front, paved the way for the BJP government at the Centre, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.

Speaking after inaugurating a public meeting here on Thursday in connection with the election campaign of LDF candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency P.P. Suneer, Mr. Yechury said "The support of 61 MPs from Left parties to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2004 was to protect secularism despite beating Congress in the 57 out of 61 seats. The left front’s pressure was the major reason for enacting many people-friendly Acts, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act”, Yechury said.

Coming down heavily on the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Yechury said Modi had made many promises to farmers, including one-time loan waiver on agriculture loans, but nothing materialized.

Criticizing the candidature of Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Mr. Yechury said the Congress was saying that the BJP had to be defeated and an alternative secular government had to come to the Centre. “For that, he shouldn’t be contesting against the left”, Yechury added.