Interview: Left-secular government 'possible at centre'

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya was the key campaigner for the Communist Party of India (Marxists) in West Bengal in the absence of the party's veteran leader, Jyoti Basu, who is too old to take on the load of a full-fledged election campaign. Basu will be turning 91 in July this year.

In an interview, Bhattacharya spoke on a wide range of issues, starting from the formation of the new government at the centre to the problems of Madrasas in the state.
Excerpts from the interview:

GULF NEWS: Who will form the next government at the Centre?
BUDDHADEV BHATTACHARYA: In my assessment there's going to be a hung parliament and there is a strong possibility of the Left and secular parties – that is the third alternative to the BJP and the Congress-led alliances – forming the next government. The Left secular forces will definitely play a crucial role in the formation of the next government.

Will the Left parties support a Congress-led government?
Yes, there is a possibility of the Left parties supporting a Congress led government on the basis of a common minimum agenda. But in such a scenario our party will like to have an assurance from the Congress regarding a change in the country's economic policy. It is the Congress who had begun the process of liberalisation. We are not for blind liberalisation. Our priority and stress would be on self-reliance. The Congress will have to make amends to get our support.

Will the Marxists participate in a Congress-led government?
The Communist party of India (Marxists) can only participate in a government when it is sure about influencing the policies and programe of a government. If such a guarantee is there we may participate.

Will your party accept Sonia Gandhi as a prime minister?
There is absolutely no bar on Sonia Gandhi becoming a prime minister according to the Indian Constitution. But in a Left coalition individuals are not important. The policies and programe are much more important.

Besides, in case of a third alternative forming a government at the centre there are plenty of good leaders among left secular forces to take on the responsibility.

Will Jyoti Basu will be a prime ministerial candidate again in such a secnario?
No. Basu has already said that he has grown too old to take on such a responsibility.

Will you be in the running for the post?
No. I don't consider myself as a national leader.

If you are talking about a third alternative, then are you prepared to accept Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav or Rashtriya Janata Dal of Laloo Prasad Yadav as partners who have criminals running for the parliament?
RSS leaders like Praveen Togadia or Sudarshan are worse than Pappu Yadav or Mohammed Sahabuddin. The RSS is a bigger threat to the country. It is to prevent the RSS from destroying our country that we don't mind supporting other secular parties.

Do you think that the Election Commission has been unfair to West Bengal by taking certain steps that it hasn't taken elsewhere?
The Election Commission is an autonomous body and I would rather not comment on its actions. But so far we have taken all the steps it had suggested for a free and fair poll in West Bengal.

Do you think that your comments regarding madrasas in state as a "breeding ground" for radicals will have an impact on the Muslim electorate?
Certain comments I had made about madrasas were wrongly interpreted by the media. I never said these were breeding ground for radicals. I can only say that the government is trying to implement the A.R.Kidwai Committee recommendations regarding recognised madrasas in the state which total over 500. The committee had recommended introduction of modern subjects like computer science and other modern streams in its curriculum.

We also feel that unrecognised madrasa (Kharezi Madrasa) should also introduce modern subjects instead of merely teaching religious scripts and Arabic.

Why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gradually increasing its base in your state?
It is the Trinamool Congress who has brought this party into West Bengal. They will have to repent for this in future. There is absolutely no place for a communal party like the BJP in Bengal. The people of Bengal will reject them outright.