CPI-M supports Congress over job quota in private sector

Agartala, March 27 (IANS) The CPI-M Thursday said it supports the Congress in introducing reservation in the private sector.

Communist Party of India-Marxist central committee member Bijan Dhar said the private sector gets huge financial and logistical support from the government, and hence, quota for jobs for tribals and other backward classes must be introduced.

"We support the Karpoori Thakur formula that suggests reservation for poor upper caste people. We want 10 percent reservation for them," Dhar, also the Tripura CPI-M state secretary, told reporters here.

Reacting to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's demand for job reservation in the private sector, he said: "Since long back, we (CPI-M) have been demanding reservation in the private sector.

"Besides, they (private sector units) are getting huge financial and logistical support from the government."

Then Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur had in 1978 raised the issue of reservation for poor upper caste people and it had caused a stir in the Indian political scene.

Dhar also said that when the move was initiated to form the non-Congress and non-Bharatiya Janata Party secular democratic front, there was no precondition of seat-sharing with any like-minded parties.

"When the four Left parties held meetings with the secular parties Oct 30 last year and Feb 25 this year, the CPI-M had put up the agenda of alternative economic and political formula," he said.

He said the CPI-M tried to share seats with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu.

"The talks with them before the polls were not successful, but these can be successful after the declaration of results."

Dhar said 11 parties, with whom the Left held discussions for an alternative front, have enormous scope in 300 Lok Sabha seats.