Left readies for Front show

The Left on Friday stepped up efforts to keep its loosely built coalition of smaller regional parties together and asserted that they are as much opposed to the Congress as to the BJP.

The Left on Friday stepped up efforts to keep its loosely built coalition of smaller regional parties together and asserted that they are as much opposed to the Congress as to the BJP.

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“Everything depends on the numbers. A Third Front government is a possibility. We won’t allow the BJP to come but we are equally opposed to the Congress,” CPI national secretary D. Raja said.

There is a cloud of uncertainty over who will be present at the Front meet on May 18, but Left leaders said they were confident that both Jayalalithaa and Mayawati would attend.

The BSP supremo sent her top aide Satish Mishra to the CPM headquarters, where he discussed the modalities of the Front meeting.

However, here’s why the Third Front still continues to be a hazy formation. One, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa has kept all her options open. It is likely that both she and Mayawati may raise their stakes by choosing to stay behind while sending their representatives.

Two, the BJD has not yet confirmed if party chief Naveen Patnaik will attend the meeting.

CPM Politburo member M.K. Pandhe told HT that Jayalalithaa had given her assurances that she would attend the meet but also quoted her as saying that she would take a decision only after the results are declared. JD(S) chief Deve Gowda is expected to be in Delhi on the 17 and fly back to be in Tirupathi on May 18, his birthday.

CPM chief Prakash Karat phoned Patnaik and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and also invited Jayalalithaa. The possibility of Naidu and Patnaik flying in to Delhi for the meet looks uncertain because both leaders may be required to stay put in their state capitals for government formation.

Both Andhra Pradesh and Orissa also held Assembly polls.