Agencies 
 
HYDERABAD, Mar 24: Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Left parties on Sunday attacked the UPA dispensation for leading the country on a "highly iniquitous and socially unjust path" and pitched for intensifying efforts to build a third political alternative to Congress and BJP through common struggles on people's issues.

"Our party thinks it is time we make every effort to build a Left and democratic alternative to both Congress and BJP rule through common struggles on people's issues and by evolving an alternative Left and democratic programme, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said while inaugurating his party's 20th national Congress here.

Speaking as a fraternal delegate, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat suggested gathering other democratic and secular forces to find a way out of the ruling class consensus which is leading the country on a "highly iniquitous and socially unjust path".

"A Left initiative is required for creating and presenting a third alternative before the people", Karat said and pointed out how the Left parties have acted as sentinels of people's interests during the last four years of UPA rule.

The four-day event, being attended by over 1,000 delegates, including communist guests from 30 countries, would deliberate on a plethora of issues including Indo-US nuclear deal, price rise, agrarian crisis and problems of the unorganized sector and chalk out strategies for the next elections.

Senior party leaders including D Raja and S Sudhakar Reddy and representatives of fraternal parties including CPM, All India Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party are attending the meeting.