Third Front will form next government: Gowda

JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda on Monday expressed confidence that the Third Front would form the next government at the Centre as several parties deserting Congress and BJP-led alliances would bolster its prospects.

JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda on Monday expressed confidence that the Third Front would form the next government at the Centre as several parties deserting Congress and BJP-led alliances would bolster its prospects.

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"Third Front is going to form the next government as those parties leaving the UPA and NDA will bolster our alliance," Gowda told reporters in New Delhi while releasing his party's manifesto for the coming general elections.

Gowda however avoided queries on Sharad Pawar's prospects of joining the Third Front, especially after the NCP chief tried to attend a rally in Bhubaneswar last week, which was organised by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the Left parties.

"Why talk about Pawar, I have never spoken to him or anybody else after formally launching the Third Front in Bangalore last month. I am only confining myself to Karnataka so that my party can win maximum number of votes there," he said, while also refusing to comment on BJD's chances of joining the Front.

The former PM said that all the constituents of the Third Front have agreed that the Prime Ministerial candidate of the alliance would be chosen after the elections.

Gowda also scotched speculation that his Kerala unit chief M P Veerendra Kumar would work against the state government there.