Kolkata, Mar 5 (IANS): CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday said the country needs strong ideals instead of leaders and urged party activists to create an alternative force on the basis of these principles to dethrone the BJP government at the Centre.

He also urged the activists to reinforce the people's movement across the country for freedom from the ongoing oppression by the ruling party.

"We need ideals for the development of the country, not leaders. We have to create an alternative to the current government at the Centre on the basis of alternative policies in order to remove them from power," Yechury said after inaugurating the party's 25th state conference here.

"If we do not work towards strengthening the people's movement against the rulers of this country, we would neither be able to free ourselves from the ongoing oppression nor provide a better way of life to our present and future generations," he pointed out.

Claiming that the economic and social oppression is on the rise in the country, Yechury said the current government must stop the looting of assets to address the issues of unemployment, need for agricultural reforms and the development of infrastructure.

"There is no dearth of resources in the country at present. But the resources are being looted. The poor is being made poorer while the rich is being made even richer. The economic and social oppression is growing in the country every day," Yechury alleged.

"If the government stops these resources from getting looted and use it for the betterment of people, then it would be able to solve the problems in the agricultural sector, provide employment to the unemployed youths and develop the necessary infrastructure within the country," he said.

Hailing Bengal's contribution in the country's communist movement, the left leader said the onus on the left leaders and activists in the state is to strengthen its ground and find a way to take the movement forward as the communist movement cannot go ahead in the country without Bengal's participation.

"It is going to be the 22nd party congress in the country this year but in Bengal it is the 25th state conference of CPI-M. This shows that the communist movement started in Bengal earlier than it started in the country.

"It has been proven that without Bengal's participation, the leftist movement cannot go ahead in this country. It is time for all of us get united to reinforce that fact once again that the leftist leadership is needed in the country," he added.