KOLKATA: Accusing the Congress of becoming a 'family enterprise full of sycophants,' CPI(M)'s trade union front CITU said it was working for a third alternative without the Congress and the BJP. "The Congress has become a family enterprise.

It is full of sycophants. Therefore, the Left trade unions and the Left parties are working for a third alternative 1,000 personnel comprising highly professional commandos, both men and women.

"The battalions to be deployed in the two eastern states will be the first of its kind in the country with highly skilled commandos being deployed for anti-Maoist operations," Mishra said. Mishra who attended a task force meeting chaired by union cabinet secretary in Delhi recently, told reporters that the move came in the wake of the failure of the country's biggest anti-naxalite operation following the Nayagarh mayhem in Orissa on February 15.

"We have been asked to provide only land for the requirement while Centre will look after everything including infrastructure, training and other requirements of the security personnel," Mishra said. Sources said the members of the Cobra battalion would be trained in jungle warfare and other activities in which commandos were considered as experts.

"They will mainly target Lwes and anti-insurgency elements," they said. The need for engaging highly professional commandos in their fight against Maoists was felt as the police, CRPF or the CISF personnel were not fully trained to put challenges before the hardcore Lwes, sources said.