'People's expections on high after polls'

India's political situation that emerged after the Lok Sabha polls has raised people's expectations as several dangers that had been posing threat to country's unity and prosperity got warded off thanks to the poll verdict against BJP led Government's 'anti-people' economic policies, CPI leader P K Vasudevan Nair, MP, said on Saturday.

"The election to the 14th Lok Sabha assumes greater significance compared to the previous polls as it saw BJP's defeat as people took it as a timely opportunity to oust the ruling party for its anti-people economic policies which had driven many people to commit suicide," Vasudevan Nair said, inaugurating a seminar, "lessons from the poll" held here.

Even though the BJP government tried to woo the voters through hi-tech campaign and projected Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a great leader, the people who lagged behind socially and economically voted for a secular alternative with highest presence of left parties in Parliament, the former Kerala Chief Minister said at the programme held on the sidelines of the 34th state level meet of the CPI-affiliated joint council of state service organisations.

Accusing the Vajpayee Government of allowing economic imperialism to flourish under the guise of globalisation and liberalisation, Nair charged that the previous government had also "worked overtime" to upset country's cherished foreign policies under pressure from the western countries.

"The poll verdict should be a lesson for all parties lest they should face wrath of people in the future," he said, emphasising the need to tackle issues of common man instead of pursuing the pro-rich policies.

P K Vasudevan Nair, who represents the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat, said the Left party leaders had met Petroleum Minister Mani Shanker Aiyer and impressed upon him the need to withdraw the steep hike on cooking gas.

Assailing the ruling United Democratic Front Government in Kerala for allegedly derailing the education sector by vesting more powers to self financing institutions to fix own fee structure for those seeking admission under 50 per cent management quota, he said the step would prove counter-productive if the situation was allowed to continue.

He also reminded the government employees to provide utmost attention to address people's issues while fighting for protecting their rights and privileges